Something Special for the Holiday Season

Special 2015/2016 Holiday Season Offer

November 30th, 2015 - February 22nd, 2016

Wo-Built's Roadmap for Your Renovation

Credit: MS Office Clipart: Two story house with a chimney; Ribbon tied like a bow

From end of November to the end of Chinese New Year we would like to offer the perfect gift for a loved ones or friends who would like to embark on a renovation, but are not sure what to expect. Or how about a great gift for yourself, if you are planning your own renovation.

As family or friends you would like to help, but you do not feel you have the expertise to give qualified advice or you have your own questions, which needs to be answered.

So, why not check out our ‘Roadmap to your Renovation’ process or our website Wo-Built's Roadmap for your Renovation Consultancy.

* For $350 you will get the ‘Roadmap to your Renovation’ Assessment and the ‘Roadmap to your Renovation’ Report in a bundle. You save $175. When booking please quote Promotional Code FEST1

**And as an added Christmas Special.  If you book your Assessment for the 26, 27, 28,29,30 and 31 of December we will even take the HST off.  When booking please quote Promotional Code FEST2.

***Both offers are valid for the GTA only. Outside these areas a travel expense may be added. Conditions, such as available appointment spots, payment conditions and more apply. All fees are subject to applicable taxes. Appointment spots between Christmas and New Years may be limited.

Invest in your or your loved one's peace of mind. Get a truly unique education and let us help you make the home of your or your loved one's dream come true.

Call us now to learn more on 416-402-2679 for more information or click Roadmap for your Renovation Assessment to secure your spot now.

We would love to contribute to your happy times.

Martina Ernst
President/CEO
Wo-Built Inc. - Innovative Design and Build

Wo-Built's New ROADMAP for Your RENOVATION Service

Image: Martina and Deborah from Wo-Built Inc. with Mary (middle) of Wise Daughters Craft Market
Photo by Shirley Fairley
Credit: SNAP Bloor West: Craft Market Hosts Home Design Series

 Roadmap for your Renovation helping you to evaluate any design or contractor and give you the confidence to deal with the situations.

After having been in business for 8 years now we are continuing with our original mission to help women.

A lot of ladies have mentioned to me over the years that they find renovations scary and that they would not know where to start. In the past we ran workshops to answer questions and give design and renovation advice, but we felt that this only scratched the surface.

So we have decided to offer a new service. We will prepare a ROADMAP for your RENOVATION.

We show you the pit falls, the process, what you have to be careful about, what you will need to decide on.

We will help you through the process, not as a contractor (only if you want us to) but as your advocate and your guide to make your dream home come true with far less stress than if you had to do it all on your own.

The beauty of it is that it does not matter where you are in the process. We can help you at any point and it can be as little or as comprehensively as you want, since we are offering modules.

Module 1 - $175
Initial consultation

• Defining and framing the issue
• Design consultation
• Construction consultation
• Next steps

Module 2 - $350
Road Map Report

• Summary of discussions
• Includes one sketch design for up to two spaces
• Estimate

Module 2a - $500
Road Map Report

• Summary of discussions
• Includes one sketch design for up to five spaces
• Estimate

Module 3 - $500 plus
Road Map Report - Two or more Options

• Summary of discussions
• Includes one sketch designs for two options
• Estimate for two options

Module 4  - After Road Map Report
Consultancy time on Retainer @ $50/hr 

Minimum retainer $500. Any tender evaluation, design management and project management services will be covered by the retainer contract.

* expenses, travel costs and HST are extra. Prices can change at Wo-Built's discretion.

As we said, it can be as little or as comprehensive as you would like to make it

For example, if you are at the beginning of your project you may need help in deciding what option to go for. We can help you by giving you the information you need to make a decision.

The road map can be taken to evaluate any design or contractor and give you the confidence to deal with the situations. And if you need further help you can always call us to be in your corner.

Call us on 416-402-2679 for more information or book your 'Roadmap for your Renovation Assessment' now. Click to book, . We would be happy to help.


Martina Ernst
President/CEO
Wo-Built Inc. - Innovative Design and Build

Toronto Real Estate Market Ripe for an Investing Revolution — the Smart way to Invest in Canada’s Hottest Housing Market

Image Collage by Wo-Built: Estimated Year-over-Year Increase in Toronto Real Estate Prices
Sources: Microsoft Clipart 00196324.wmf;
rediff.com India: Binary Options Broker: Investing In Toronto Condos;
toronto-realestate-agent.ca/: Toronto Real Estate: Guide To Toronto Real Estate

“Toronto is on track to end 2014 as the hottest housing market in the country, with prices likely to rise 8.1 per cent, year over year”
– thestar.com: Business: Toronto housing market on track to be hottest in Canada for 2014: report

According to Royal LePage’s House Price Survey and market forecast, Toronto will experience another red-hot housing market in 2014.

Only 6 months into the year, and the largest price increases were 8.3% for two-storey homes (at $730,806 on average) and 7.2 per cent (or $611,906 on average) for detached bungalows.

Some of these averages have been skewed, according to Royal LePage, because of “irrational bidding wars that have propelled prices further into the stratosphere” (Source: thestar.com).

So why does all this matter? If you’re in the market for a home, it means greater competition for fewer desirable properties, bigger mortgages and down payments, and bigger mortgage payments.

If you’re a real estate investor, however, what it means is an incredible opportunity to work with Wo-Built and its Partners to employ a revolutionary approach to buying, renovating, marketing and selling homes.

The key to the investment opportunity are performance-bonded home renovations which can be rolled into a first mortgage. This means tremendous REDUCTION IN RISK to you, the investor. YOU ONLY NEED TO INVEST A DOWNPAYMENT AND CARRYING COSTS UNTIL THE HOME IS SOLD.

Here’s how it breaks down:

•    First, get pre-approved for a mortgage.
•    Next, sign an agency agreement and work with one of Casavant Corp’s 300+ top realtors to identify an undesirable property in the GTA or Golden Horseshoe.
•    Locate a property and make a conditional offer.
•    Property inspected by Architectural Technologist & Design Changes Drawn Up.
•    Close on Property.
•    Performance Bonded Renovations by Wo-Built or Performance-Bonded Contracting Partners.
•    300+ top Realtors vying to market & sell your upgraded property.

Now, let’s talk about these “irrational bidding wars.”

Just imagine having a newly renovated (or rebuilt) home in one of Toronto’s more desirable neighbourhoods, with an open house hosted by a top Realtor, properly staged by a professional staging company, and potential home buyers entering the home experience something an indoor rainforest ecosystem by our PeapodLife division like this…

YouTube Video: PeapodLife Living Wall EcoSystem Fitch Street

This recently completed Living Wall Rainforest EcoSystem was installed at 235 Fitch Street in Welland, Ontario. Like most PeapodLife EcoSystems, it features orchids, moss, bromeliads, African violets, cacti, aquatic plants, fish & more. Like all PeapodLife EcoSystems, there is no soil, chemical additives or fertilizers of any kind.

Source: youtube.com: Living Wall Rainforest EcoSystem, published by PeapodLife

And by the way, videos and photos CANNOT do PeapodLife Ecosystems justice. You have to experience them in the flesh to appreciate them. But once you do, you’re hooked. And no, there is no one else, ANYWHERE that has ANYTHING that compares.

We call them BEST HOMES, and they are YOUR OPPORTUNITY to create one-of-a-kind GREEN REAL ESTATE properties with a financing, design, marketing and sales team backing you all the way; managing the process from beginning to end for you.

Check out The BEST HOMES Investment Case Study for a house in trendy/desirable Junction area in Toronto (based on an actual property available for purchase, real world renovation costs, real estate fees, etc. and greenhab investing with PeapodLife BEST HOMES Program).

Visit PeapodLife.com for more information, pictures, videos, testimonials and much more.

Contact Wo-Built for more information.

Practical Steps to Create a Small Indoor Ecosystem: Lunch and Learn Workshop, July 9

Poster: Luncheon: Practical Steps to Create Small Indoor Ecosystem

When: Tuesday, July 9, 2013, 12-2 pm

Where: Chef of India Restaurant

Location: 1415 Yonge Street, Toronto, ON M4T 1Y7

Attend: http://2013jul9-eorg.eventbrite.ca/

We would like to invite everybody to attend this exiting lunch and learn workshop.

Luncheon: Practical Steps to Create a Small Indoor Ecosystem

Tuesday, July 9, 2013, 12:00 pm - 2:00 pm

Chef of India Restaurant

1415 Yonge St., Toronto, Ontario M4T 1Y7

Here is some event details from Eventbrite site:

The Lunch & Learn: Hydroponics Plants for House Ecosystem (cost $20)

Due to great interest following the June 11 presentation by PeapodLife, we are bringing back Wolfgang Amelung, Indoor Rainforest Ecosystem Inventor, to elaborate on the practical steps needed to create small indoor ecosystem projects.

Learn easy-to-implement tips to begin transforming the potted plants in your home from generators of harmful VOC’s into little engines of living air purification.

Please register at no charge, we are not charging for the workshop but only for lunch expenses.

Menu: All you can eat from large Buffet of Indian vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes. Exclusive items, such as whole-wheat tandoori Nan, bean sprout salads and no-chili lentil curry.

Cost: $20 inclusive of taxes and service charges.

If you have any questions or comments, please do not hesitate to contact me:

Max Haroon
Founder, Life Transformation Institute
info@life-transformation-institute.org
Tel: 416-891-4937

Home Automation Trending at CES 2013

Image Montage by Wo-Built: Home Automation Technology at CES 2013
Images: Top-Left: Lowe’s Iris automation system 
(Source: cepro.com: CES 2013 Shocker: Lowe’s Iris Home Automation Has Legs)
Top-Right: Ivee Sleek voice activation assistant 
(Source: ces.cnet.com: Voice-controlled home assistant is like a nicer HAL 9000)

As CES 2013 kicks into high gear in Las Vegas, it’s clear that our homes are about to become much more interactive, in the digital sense of the word.

Gone are the days of getting up out of your La-Z-Boy to check the thermostat, turn lights on or off, check door locks and much more. You don’t even need to be physically in your home anymore. Interacting with your home is becoming more a matter of remote touch or voice-enabled app via tablet or smartphone.

Lowe’s Iris automation platform works with Zigbee and Z-Wave technologies and sells as a service in the U.S. for $9.99 a month. It offers remote security and home management features, including the ability to monitor cameras, windows and door locks, adjust thermostat, operate compatible devices in real time.

For those within earshot of their house, the Ivee Sleek offers impressive voice-activation capabilities and is compatible with a variety of other devices to give your home that “2001: A Space Odyssey” or “Star Trek” feel. One device which it can control is Nest’s “learning thermostat.”

youtube.com: Meet the Nest Learning Thermostat

Uploaded by Nest on Oct 2, 2012

The Almond+ router by Securifi offers a 2.8-inch touchscreen with Smart Hub integration with Zigbee and Z-Wave technologies. It appears to offer many of the same features as Lowe’s Iris, but without a monthly fee. Still, currently a project on Kickstarter, it may be some time before you can have one in your home.

Image: Securifi’s Almond+ Router
(Source: pcmag.com: CES 2013: Securifi's Almond+ Router Tackles Home Automation)

Want to be able to take command of your interior lighting without waiting for a complete home automation platform? Why not try GreenWave Reality’s WiFi-enabled light bulbs. With available remote controls, dedicated WiFi gateway, and iOS/Android app, you’ll be taking command of your home’s lighting from just about anywhere.

Image: GreenWave Reality’s WiFi-enabled light bulbs with remote control and wireless gateway can be controlled by a custom app running on Apple and Android mobile touch devices.

(Source: latimes.com: CES 2013: Lighting up the smart home)

It looks like the age of the Jetsons may finally be approaching (don’t hold your breath on the flying car, though). Do these gadgets really make a home come alive, though?

In the same way that Las Vegas itself is filled with bells and whistles, but cannot hold a candle to the vitality and vibrancy of a rainforest, home automation technology is no substitute for living organisms.

The technology that gets us more excited is home revitalization: PeapodLife.



Attila Lendvai
VP of Strategic Development
Wo-Built Inc. - Innovative Design and Build

links:
wikipedia.org: Home automation

pcmag.com: CES 2013: Securifi's Almond+ Router Tackles Home Automation
At CES, Securifi took the wraps off Almond+, a color touch-screen router with an integrated Smart Home hub.
by Samara Lynn

latimes.com: CES 2013: Lighting up the smart home
Smartphones. Smart TVs. Smart appliances. Smart ... light bulbs?
by Jon Healey

smithsonianmag.com: The Gadgets of the Future From the Electrical Shows of Yesterday

The latest and best tweets on #2013CES and #2014ces.
Read what people are saying about the International Consumer Electronics Show or simply CES, and join the conversation.

You’ve got all the toys for your home; but do you have the fun; the fantasy?

Collage: Beauty & Magic of Natural World
Image Credit: MS Office ClipArt: Fairy with Flowers
Quote Source: Shakespeare Navigators: Puck’s Epilogue to
"A Midsummer Night’s Dream" by William Shakespeare

Bring the Beauty and the Magic of the Natural World into Your Home

So you’ve got the iPhone, the iPod, the iPad (or the ‘Droids); the sheik brownstone or the shiny new condo with the latest in contemporary designs, colours and textures, complete with a matching set of stainless steel appliances in "the ultimate kitchen." But, do you have the fun? The fantasy?

The summer is nearly over and so is Canadian Stage Company’s production of Shakespeare’s "A Midsummer Night’s Dream" in High Park.

We cannot imagine a better way to stage the Bard’s famous romantic comedy of errors than outside at dusk. What better backdrop than nature to evoke and the fantasy, mischief and love as lived in the realms of pixies, Puck and the Fairy Queen!

Now, what if you could bring that level of exotic, fun-filled fantasy into your home; your life? You can, with Peapod Life.

Wo-Built’s Peapod Life brings the beauty and the magic of the natural world into your space with magical installations that delight the senses, inspire the mind and rejuvenate the soul.

With the best of contemporary designs and technologies blended harmoniously with the timeless beauty and wisdom of Mother Nature, that feels right and just works, Peapod Life’s indoor ecosystems are beyond stylish …they are downright magical.

If today’s modern world of must-get stuff, cold technologies, hectic efficiency-minded pace, and industrialized urban lifestyle "offends" ... Peapod Life "shall make amends."


Attila Lendvai
VP of Strategic Development
Wo-Built Inc. - Innovative Design and Build

Please see other articles below for more details about Peapod Life:
Peapod Life: Applications for Better Living
Urban Farming and Peapod Life: Grow Kids’ Connection to Community, Culture and Curriculum
Indoor Landscapes: Companies See the Light of a whole New Level of "wow, cool!"
Fresh Air Indoors: Peapod Life Ecosystem Better Air Quality

Summer, Nature, and the Homestead

Image: Wo-Built’s vision for Peapod Life:
Bringing the best of summer and nature to homesteads everywhere!
Image Credit: MS Office ClipArt: agriculture, farms, fields, houses, nature

Peapod Life brings the best of rural Canada to your Condo

This past Sunday, I had the good fortune of attending a spiritual retreat held on a horse farm in Arva, Ontario.

The experience served to reinforce Wo-Built’s vision for Peapod Life: to bring the best of summer and nature to homesteads everywhere! From condos to suburbs; restaurants to spas; hospitals to clinics; offices to schools; everyone should be able to enjoy the pleasures I experienced on Sunday.

Among the many activities on the beautiful property was a nature walk. To be surrounded by the sights and sounds of nature is always uplifting yet calming; invigorating yet soothing. Green was the backdrop for a symphony of colours.

It wouldn’t have been much of a gathering without a feast. Fresh garden herbs and vegetables, local fair of every kind, all served with warmth and hospitality that I believe is 100% supported by the environment of the homestead.

Cities are a necessary fact of life which come with a whole series of advantages, from employment to socializing to entertainment. Toronto recognizes the importance of greening urban landscapes, evidenced by the emergence of initiatives like Live Green Toronto, Evergreen and Food Forward (to name but a few).

When it finally came to leave Arva and return to Toronto, I did so with renewed determination. Peapod Life will do its best to bring the best of rural life to our urban spaces, with products and services both large and small for residential and commercial markets.

Attila Lendvai
VP of Strategic Development
Wo-Built Inc. - Innovative Design and Build

Thank you for visiting our booth at the National Home Show!!!

Photo-Collage: Wo-Built's Green Commitment at the National Home Show
Peapod Life™ - an affordable sustainable home addition
March 16-25, 2012 at Direct Energy Centre, Exhibition Place;
2012 @ wobuilt.com

We had a fantastic show and we would like to thank everybody who came by and gave tremendous feedback on our Peapod Life - the fully integrated indoor garden living space.

We will be at the Green Living Show on April 13-15, 2012 and we would like to invite everybody to our booth 211. We will showcase Peapod Life in more details.

Mark the date in your calendar and see you at the Green Show.


Wo-Built's Team
Wo-Built Inc. - Innovative Design and Build

Photo-Collage: Wo-Built's Green Commitment at the National Home Show
Peapod Life™ - an affordable sustainable home addition
March 16-25, 2012 at Direct Energy Centre, Exhibition Place;
2012 @ wobuilt.com

World Water Day 2012: Wo-Built Pays Tribute to H2O with Peapod Life

youtube.com: World Water Day 2012 official video,
focusing on the theme of the campaign "Water and Food Security".
Uploaded by UNWaterWorldWaterDay on Mar 9, 2012
Produced by kf@kantfish.com and featuring a soundtrack by DDG Project.
Download your animation on: http://www.unwater.org/worldwaterday
ONEDROP How much water is on your plate

"Water is H2O, hydrogen two parts, oxygen one, but there is also a third thing, that makes water and nobody knows what that is."
- D.H. Lawrence (1885-1930), Pansies, 1929; Source: Quotes and Facts about Water

"In the world there is nothing more submissive and weak than water. Yet for attacking that which is hard and strong nothing can surpass it. "
- Lao Tzu, philosopher of ancient China; Source: Brainy Quote

On this 22nd of March, 2012, Wo-Built Inc. contemplates the above two quotes on water.

In many ways, the second quote by Lao Tzu answers the question posed by D.H. Lawrence. Water is a magical substance that appears weak, meek. Were it a living creature we would say “it has no backbone.”

And yet, as Lao Tzu points out, water has by far been the most instrumental force in the shaping of our planet’s geography: that patient power that wears mountains down to dust and builds continents from magma flows.

Water is the humble hero: the strong silent type… until it roars. Calm and still it reflects perfectly the awe of the heavens. Stirred by motion and whipped by winds it thunders the sound and fury of nature’s wrath. It gives life, shapes it, takes it, and renews the remains.

Water is very much alive. It deserves our respect, care… yes, even love. Without its gifts, humanity is nothing… a ghostly apparition reflected in a desert mirage; a dusty legend of faerie folk songs.

No wonder, then, when Wo-Built set-out to revolutionize green building with its affordable green addition — Peapod Life — it included a rainwater recovery system.

But what good is harnessing rainwater if it just stagnates in a rain barrel? That’s why your Peapod Life will also auto-water your plants.

Of course, too much water (in the air — humidity) can be a problem, so automatic climate control comes standard, powered by built-in solar cells.

More than a sunroom; better than any old greenhouse, Peapod Life recognizes the value of water and respects the crucial role it must play in any truly green addition and any so-called eco-living space. In this case: the world’s first indoor garden living space.

Truly green space. Living. Peapod Life.

Attila Lendvai
VP of Strategic Development
Wo-Built Inc. - Innovative Design and Build

Screenshot: Peapod Life - The World's First
Integrated Indoor Garden Living Space
The future of sustainable living is here,
green living and living green all in one space.
Do you want a new way of living?
Do you want to thrive instead of survive?
Meet Peapod Life
Learn more about Peapod Life™ on Facebook!
2012 @ wobuilt.com

Peapod Life a big hit at the National Home Show

Photo-Collage: Wo-Built's Green Commitment at the National Home Show
Peapod Life™ - an affordable sustainable home addition
March 16-25, 2012 at Direct Energy Centre, Exhibition Place;
Photos: Olga Goubar @ wobuilt.com

Attendees of the National Home Show in Toronto are being wowed by Peapod Life, Wo-Built Inc.’s vision of a fully integrated indoor garden living space.

People are simply loving the idea of integrating organic food, solar power and smart water recovery into their lives, in an affordable glass addition that creates a beautiful and practical space perfect for both plants and people.

“Deciding to unveil Peapod Life at the National Home Show has proven to be a great success,” Martina Ernst, President and CEO of Wo-Built, Inc., said. “The response is overwhelmingly positive.”

Peapod Life is the world’s first living space that incorporates green technologies with active Biodesign and Biocare. The result is a living structure which is so much more than the sum of its parts: a self-contained, self-sustaining space truly alive and life-giving.

Located in booth 154 in the East Annex, Wo-Built Inc. will be featuring Peapod Life at the National Home Show through the week and weekend.

Attendees of the National Home Show can speak directly with Wo-Built experts and enjoy the living wall. Fill out a survey and enter the contest to win a living wall for your home or condo.

Don’t miss this opportunity to get to know Peapod Life and get in on the ground floor of the future of sustainable food, water and energy security.

Come see the future of green building and discover how affordable a Peapod Life glass addition can be!

The National Home Show closes at Sunday March 25th at 5pm.

Attila Lendvai
VP of Strategic Development
Wo-Built Inc. - Innovative Design and Build

Wo-Built Offers Livegreen Toronto Members Home Show Special on Peapod Life™

Photo Montage: Peapod Life™ helps Livegreen Toronto
Members save more than just money.
2012 @ wobuilt.com
Image Credits: Young plants + Plants
+ Potted plants sitting on a windowsill getting sun light
+ Live Green Toronto Membership Card

“Living green is all about making smart choices about how you live, travel, shop, eat and play.”
– Livegreen Toronto

At this year’s National Home Show Wo-Built Inc. will be offering Livegreen Toronto members substantial savings on its new line of affordable green home additions – Peapod Life™.

Much more than any greenhouse, Wo-Built's new Peapod Life™ combines the convenience of an in-home edible botanical garden; the comforts of real, useable living space; and the benefits of green solar power and rainwater recovery solutions; all integrated into one affordable sustainable home addition.

Livegreen Toronto Members will be able to save 30% off the cost of plants built into their Peapod Life™ indoor organic garden living space (including vegetables, fruits and herbs; minimum savings of $1500).

This show special can be combined with Wo-Built’s existing offer for Livegreen Toronto Members: 5% savings off the retail cost of green roofs, solar, geothermal or heat recovery measures with any Wo-Built renovation.

Wo-Built invites everyone to come visit us at the National Home Show and Canada Blooms, Livegreen Toronto Pavilion, Direct Energy Centre, Exhibition Place between March 16th to the 25th.

Be among the first in the City to embrace Wo-Built’s vision for local food and energy security—Peapod Life™.

Attila Lendvai
VP of Strategic Development
Wo-Built Inc. - Innovative Design and Build

Wo-Built's Green Commitment at the National Home Show
Peapod Life™ - an affordable sustainable home addition
Visit us at Booth # E154

Home Renovations Today: Freedom versus "Grid-lock"

Collage: Home Renovations Today: Freedom versus "Grid-lock"
Illustration Credits: MS Office ClipArt
House with solar panel & Electricity, energy, homes
2012 @ wobuilt.com

“We often take for granted that our lights will come on when we flip the light switch, but the reality is that our reliability standards and the current state of the transmission grid leave us all vulnerable to blackouts.”
Richard Burr, Politician

What would happen if tomorrow you flipped the light switch and nothing happenned? If you turned on the tap and nothing came out? If you went to the grocery store and the shelves were empty?

The term “grid-locked” is fair and fitting. Like a Toronto motorist trapped in rush-hour traffic, our lives and progress are at the mercy of the grid. In simplest survival terms, we are not truly free.

We think of ourselves as being a first-world nation built on a solid, stable financial system and democratic society. The fact is, our so-called “freedom” teeters perilously atop a house of cards that has grown so large, complex, and reliant on co-dependent systems, any number of minor failures in any one of those systems could spell disaster for our established way of living.

How many of us could switch to a life without electricity overnight? How about growing (or hunting/fishing) our own food? Providing our own fresh water? Heating/cooling? Very few, indeed.

With ever-increasing food and energy costs, it is clear the grid—in all its myriad forms—is under a great deal of stress. Do we really want to wait until it reaches a breaking point? Do we trust those in power to look after our interests? What if every home could be a net producer instead of consumer of energy?

Home renovations today should address these issues. Put aesthetics aside a moment and consider the long-term sustainability of your living space; its resilience in the face of catastrophic grid failure.

Any sustainable community will have de-centralized and distributed production of the most basic measures of freedom (energy, food and water security) for inherent resilience and stability. The imperial “bigger is better” mentality of centralized production is oppressive and obsolete.

Wo-Built is a champion designer and builder of the future. We actively research and develop complete systems to address household needs at all levels—including the most fundamental.

Leaving no stone unturned, Wo-Built scours the world for best-practices in sustainability and the latest in green technologies to offer complete home renovation systems and additions that transform houses from victims of grid-lock to off-grid bastions of freedom, ecological responsibility and sustainability.

Wo-Built asks you to consider: we all buy home insurance "just in case." Strange, there is no insurance policy covering all the essentials without which our households cannot survive. The time to prepare our homes for the inevitable challenges of 21st Century is now. Wo-Built is taking the lead.

Attila Lendvai
VP of Strategic Development
Wo-Built Inc. - Innovative Design and Build

links:
greenhomebuilding.com: Building Today for Tomorrow: Avoiding Gridlock in your Home
"The typical gridlock image is of being stuck in your automobile in a traffic system that has bogged down because it cannot handle the volume of traffic. You feel helpless because you have to use the car, but it's not getting you where you want to go. You are locked into a dysfunctional system."
by Kelly Hart

choosingourfuture.ca: Choosing our Future: Building a Sustainable National Capital Region: Our Choices Today - Create Tomorrow.
Choosing our Future is an innovative joint planning initiative of the City of Ottawa, City of Gatineau and the National Capital Commission.

blog.homerenovationguide.com: Blogging about the world of home renovation and improvement.

When Home Buying, Mind your Manors!

CMHC: Homeowner's Inspection Checklist
Conduct your own inspection to keep your home in top condition.
Image credit: CMHC Publications and Reports

The other day we went on a call and encountered a fairly common problem: termites had ravaged the structure of a circa 1940’s bungalow. A bungalow which, we must point out, was purchased recently.

The first takeaway is simple: get a complete professional home inspection before you buy. That means finding a qualified home inspector you trust, and making sure they give you a thorough report on all potential safety hazards: structure, electrical, gas heating (if applicable), etc.

It also means focused inspections of three key areas: moisture, asbestos and termites. But you may have to request the termite inspection specifically; you cannot assume a standard home inspection is going to find them.

Toronto in general has termite infestations, with pockets in East York, the Beaches, West Toronto and North Toronto. A termite inspection might be a good idea when looking at a cottage up north, too. As for moisture, cracked foundations, rotting wood and black mold are not your friends. And asbestos? Come now, do we really need to point out why you don’t want any asbestos in your house?

Of course, home inspectors aren’t psychic! By law they cannot make holes to look inside walls or inspect foundations below the ground (unless you actually own the property). No home inspection is foolproof. No amount of preparation or protection can catch every problem, especially if some problems are well concealed.

Hence the second takeaway: even with a complete home inspection you still may find extensive damage to your property, especially in basement areas.

Furthermore, should you discover problems that were not disclosed to you by the previous owner, you may consider initiating some sort of legal action (and hope you have a friendly banker to finance the repairs in the meantime). Such cases are not to be rushed into, however. It can be a drain on your resources; it’s often difficult to prove any wrongdoing; and, winning it is one thing: getting paid is another matter.


Attila Lendvai
VP of Strategic Development
Wo-Built Inc. - Innovative Design and Build

links:
cmhc-schl.gc.ca: CMHC: Homeowner's Inspection Checklist
Publications and Reports 62114: Conduct your own inspection to keep your home in top condition.

cmhc-schl.gc.ca: CMHC: Home Inspection Checklist
Use this Checklist to review the report you receive from the home inspector.

zillow.com/blog: Tips & Advice: Is a Home Inspection Good Enough?
by Leonard Baron

House My Nephew Wants to Build

My Dream House
"... a tree house with stairs, plumbing for the washroom,
roof that opens, an extra area for the kitchen/living room,
and additional supports for the structure."
2011 @ wobuilt.com

Where does our imagination go?

My soon to be 7 year old nephew Alex drew me his version of a dream house recently and I was totally blown away. Not only can I harbour hopes that there will be a designer or architect / engineer in the next generation, but I marveled at the depths of his ideas at his age.

All I asked him was if he could draw his dream house, the one he would like to live in and he immediately said: "Oh, I draw you a tree house." And not just any tree house, one that has stairs in the tree trunk, plumbing for the washroom, roof that opens and an extra area for the kitchen/living room. He even thought of extra supports for the structure. Amazing! I am so proud.

It struck me: if we as children have so much 'realistic' imagination, why do we end up with standard unimaginative boxes to live in when we are adults? Where does the sense of adventure go? Is it a question of supply and demand? Are we getting what we ask for or are we given only limited choices or are we conditioned to like boxes? These are questions that warrant lengthy answers, but maybe we just have to ask them. I am not advocating that we all live in a tree house or castle, but that we let our imagination loose.

If we have to end up with a box, maybe we can make it an interesting one. We can use the notion of inside-outside space, using orientation, playing with levels, daylight/sunlight, natural ventilation, window sizes, structure and other architectural themes and tools to bring wow into the space.

But talking again about tree houses. My nephew is not the only one dreaming about living in or around a tree. In our post Wobinna’s Dream Home Contest: Submission #2 Tree House we described a tree house with amenities, just as my nephew did. There seems to be something ancient and elementary in humans that likes the idea of back to nature, green and simpler, but with modern amenities. Maybe we need to bring this element back into our designs.

Hence we are considering reviving our dream house competition where we would like to push the envelope of home design; where we can let our imagination come true. We, as humans, have an abundance of imagination. We are influenced by many factors from popular culture to space travel, from traditional design to modern architecture. So dream away and something marvelous will come from it!

Martina Ernst
President/CEO
Wo-Built Inc. - Innovative Design and Build

Combining Old and New: Keeping the Neighbourhood and Community Thriving

Photo-collage: Architecture: Combining Old with New
Keeping the Neighbourhood and Community Thriving
2011 @ wobuilt.com

We are continuing our series about old and new, a topic that is very dear to our heart. We believe strongly that marrying old with new can revitalize buildings and in extension communities. As a company we would love to be involved in their revitalization.

As the Junction area is close to home I have seen the area transform over the last few years. We got more art galleries; recently I bought a painting from The Telephone Booth gallery, more new and exciting restaurants, coffee shops; Starbucks and Crema to name a few and many more interesting shops. The Junction has become much more up market than before.

There are also changes in the architecture. Several corner buildings had a third floor added. A sign that the area is well on its way to gentrification, people invest in it. The buildings all had a commercial unit on the 1st floor and two residential floors above. The third storey design, simple and uncomplicated, blends in well with existing building. Old and new are complementary to each other.

As a business case the additional floor has to provide value in excess of the costs of construction. They all had the following in common: the building footprint is already large enough to give some economy of scale and it is providing enough space for several individual units. But the amazing fact is that the buildings are not enormous and not substantially larger than other buildings in the Junction, yet still they seem to be commercially viable.

The Junction is only one area in Toronto which is undergoing change and it took a long time for the turn around. The building extensions happened when the Junction was on the cusp of turning, meaning that the property values increased, making the initial capital costs viable. Many other buildings in the Junction are likely candidates for adding a third storey. Other areas in Toronto which are on the cusp of turning also might have buildings that are suitable.

Any building owner with a commercial 2-storey unit might find it beneficial to undertake a business case study to see if an addition is feasible. Viability can be measured in return of investment and break even points. We can help building owners make an informed decision as we have the necessary management and consulting expertise in our company.

Building investments in areas like the Junction will keep the neighbourhood and community thriving.

Martina Ernst
Wo-Built Inc. - Innovative Design and Build

We Are Looking for Adventurous Building Owners

Collage: The Ranch and the Tower Projects:
Interesting Additions with Architectural Merit.
Credit: MS Office ClipArt: Silhouettes

Adventure is not something usually associated with construction at least not in a positive way. But it should be. When owners embark on a building project there should be the sense of adventure – for the design, the materials used, the innovations for the building. Buildings can be so much more than just boxes. And of course this applies for both residential and non residential.

The term "adventure" here is defined as the willingness to undertake risk. Not of course in the sense of using a cowboy builder and skimping on the permits and the choice of appropriate materials – not that kind of risk. But the risk to be daring, bold and enterprising, of looking at alternative innovative designs and materials, of being in the forefront of green construction, of considering architectural features different from the norm - that kind of risk should be considered.

We are looking for adventurous building owners, who have the vision of looking at a building project in an innovative way. In the past, we had the good fortune to work on residential buildings where our clients looked at a different aesthetics, different layouts and green considerations. In past postings we called two of them the "Ranch" and the "Tower". Both projects started out as bungalows and ended up with interesting additions and with architectural merit.

We like to be adventurous as well and push the envelope further. We like to think outside the box. In our dream house competition ideas we explored different concepts for living and even though they were hypothetical, they looked at possibilities outside the norm. We do not suggest that "adventurous" building owners have to go as far, but just allow yourselves to dream.

Part of the adventure is to incorporate the green design aspects. Green design does not only consist of using the appropriate materials, but also using the space and its environment to achieve energy and water savings and reduce our environmental footprint.

Our designs of spaces will include the consideration of living walls to cleanse the air and supplement the HVAC. Heat sinks in conjunction with heat recovery units to reduce heating. Rain and grey water recovery systems to reduce water usage, solar and wind power to reduce electricity and many more. But the key is balance between the need to reduce the ecological foot print, the wow factor that will make the space special and also the consideration for human comfort. Right from the start of the design we will take these conflicting requirements and design for the best possible balance.

Let’s be adventurous together.

Martina Ernst
Wo-Built Inc. - Innovative Design and Build

links:
polyvore.com: let's be adventurous together.
by murphluv

Wo-Built: What Do These Three Renovation Projects Have In Common?

Wo-Built's Dream House Ideas:

• the conservatory
• the tree house
• the grand staircase
• the condo
• the houseboat

Adding Value to Your House – How About Adding Value to Your Life?!

Collage: Add a Value Your Life
Illustration: Family under a roof
Credit: MS Office ClipArt MC910216993

"The key factor is to ensure that renovations increase at least two of three elements: comfort, convenience, luxury. Both aesthetics and function should also be improved with the work."
Top Renovations That Increase Home Value
by Sheila Doris

Over the years we have mentioned that certain renovations will increase the value of your house. In the Toronto Housing Market renovating your kitchen or adding another bathroom to the house are top of the list. Best return on investment is painting and other cosmetic home improvements. Even some ‘green’ measures, such as solar panels are becoming popular for added value. So, if you want to treat your home as an investment you are best served to do those renovations.

But a home is so much more than an investment. It’s were you feel comfortable, where your family lives and where you will make memories. You have a lot of emotions invested in your home, how it felt when you bought it, the improvements you made to make it your own. But suddenly there is more space required or you want to implement something that you always wanted to have, like a conservatory, another bedroom, an open concept or just more space. But you like your house and you don’t want to move. Often the choice of doing an extensive renovation like a basement or adding a second storey or rear extension is due to wanting to stay in the same house and area. Also even if you moved house you still would have to renovate to your taste.

Large renovations are costly. A typical 800-1000 sq.ft. basement renovation will cost around $50,000 to $100,000 depending on if you need a bathroom, have to raise the floor to ceiling height and the type of finishes required. A 800-1000 sq.ft. second storey finished addition depending on the work done on other floors can cost anywhere between $250,000 to $400,000. A 2-storey rear addition will be in the region of $150,000 to $250,000 depending on scope. Unless you acquired the existing house and land well under market price it is unlikely that the costs could be recovered immediately.

These renovations are all about adding to your life. Enjoying the renovation you have done, using the space as you want to. In these cases you are adding to the benefit of your lifestyle and comfort. They represent the fulfillment of your dream.

We specialize in additions and larger renovations because we feel we want to add value to people’s lives. Not only because we want to fulfill dreams of a more beautiful house or added space, but we also believe in keeping families in communities they lived in for a while. There is a lot to be said about staying in one area for a long period of time. Families can integrate into communities which in turn can enrich life. Communities often mean stability, prosperity, safety and security.

We can work with you to add value to your life and value to your house.

Martina Ernst
Wo-Built Inc. - Innovative Design and Build

links:
wobuilt: Renovations and Recession

wobuilt: Turning Your Dream Home Into a Reality (Again !!!!): 10 sizzling ideas to get you exploring the possibilities of your house.

Creating A Dream Home: Putting Down Roots … Winnipeg Reno Blog

timesonline.co.uk: Home improvements a waste of money
A new kitchen or extension could be a costly mistake as house prices slump
Elizabeth Colman
From Times Online July 22, 2008

My Idea of a GlassHouse: the PolygHome

Photo-Collage: National Home Show 2011
Glass Home, Built by Concept PolygHome with Interiors by Debby Travis
2011 © wobuilt.com
twitpic 2011 @ wobuilt.com

Large beam spans, lots of glazing, open concept, double height ceiling and the feeling of space – my sort of glasshouse and if asked, would live in it in a heartbeat. I must admit, during the National Home Show I went back several times and let myself dream a little bit, of course in the right setting such as a lake front, mountains views and other wonderful areas.

Some of the features of the bioclimatic architecture house, the prefabrication, the use of recycled wood, the warm/cool air across the curtain walls to minimize heat loss and gain, the use of natural ventilation, sun heat gain storage and rainwater recovery make this concept a very attractive green design.

In our Dream Home Contest: Conservatory write-up we looked at a concept that had satellite buildings for living around a large conservatory. The PolygHome House is the closest I have seen so far.

This house needs a large setting, but a scaled down version for city could be possible and we would love to try and design it for you.

Martina Ernst
CEO
Wo-Built Inc. - Innovative Design and Build

links:
Wobinna’s Dream Home Contest: Submission #1 Conservatory

PolygHomes - Concept PolygHome - Bioclimatic architecture houses

The Concept PolygHome PDF Presentation: PolygHome: A Bioclimatic Home! + "Range of Vision" with PolygHome. + An Ecological Structure.

Wobinna’s Dream Home Contest: Submission #5 Houseboat

Image: Design Competition 2010
Wobinna Wants to Know: What's Your Dream House? Is It ...
#5. Freedom on the Open Waters in Your Very Own Cozy Houseboat ...
Illustration by Dawn Palfreyman
Copyright 2010 © Wo-Built Inc.

Another great design idea from Lonya, our Wo-Built writer, for the dream house competition examples.

The Houseboat

My goodness! If you’re willing to dream - the housing options seem endless. Another intriguing idea of a dream house is that of a houseboat. Surprisingly, on discussion about this idea – two different ideas emerged. One was that of a floating but stationary house in a floating marina, no less.

MY idea of a houseboat would actually BE on a boat (not a good idea if you get seasick, but as it happens, I don’t). I think by now everyone knows I love a space that is compact – nothing too big (too much cleaning and maintenance) but the appeal of a compact space is also that of its coziness. I’ve seen some luxury houseboats that were totally massive and could accommodate a whole tribe, but that’s not what I would find appealing.

This idea intrigues me, as well, because of the home’s movable ability. Sort of like a tortoise with its shell on its back, your home goes with you wherever you want to go. Have an argument with your neighbors? Move your boat further down the river. Just want a change of scenery? Move your boat to a more pleasing surrounding. And another redeeming quality would be there is no need for a car! Another green idea!

What I would want personally inside MY houseboat would be sort of like an apartment, except that it would just be on a boat. It would have a kitchenette, and a reasonably sized but cozy dining and family area. It would have to have a separate sleeping area or two (for guests) with adjoining washrooms. A small deck might be nice to be able to sit outside on a nice day.

This turtle thinks it would be lots of fun to see more of the world with my own oasis in tow and not worry about noisy neighbors, hotel rooms and timelines. And, if this turtle hits a nice spot and some good weather it just might stay afloat for awhile!

Lonya is the staff writer for Wo-Built Inc.

Here are our 5 great ideas for design concept of the dream house or home: conservatory, tree house, grand staircase, condo, and houseboat.

You might have some really great ideas to add. We are looking forward to exploring your projects and bringing them to completion. If you have any other ideas please submit them to us at info@wobuilt.com


Wo-Built Inc. is dedicated to women in the trades. We created Wobinna & Friends to encourage women to look at the construction industry as an alternative career choice with a multitude of options. Wobinna & Friends is interested in all aspects of the construction industry. We would like to see more women explore the many opportunities open to them and become successful.

Wobinna & Friends and any associated characters, storylines and/or merchandise are the sole property and copyright of Wo-Built Inc. This includes all media.

Wobinna’s Dream Home Contest: Submission #4 Condo

Image: Design Competition 2010

Wobinna Wants to Know: What's Your Dream House? Is It ...
#4 ... Maybe Simplifying Your Living Space, Like a Condo ...
Illustration by Dawn Palfreyman
Copyright 2010 © Wo-Built Inc.

New idea from the Wo-Built staff, this time a dreamhouse concept of simplifying living space, like an apartment in a condo .

The Condo

My dream house is a low-rise, 2-bedroom condominium with a walk-in closet that nestles on a quiet tree-lined street in the middle of the city. It would have to have a balcony preferably overlooking a park and be close to shopping and transportation. I’ve come to this conclusion over my lifetime.

At different stages of my life, I’ve lived in a variety of dwellings in different locations, so I’ve had a bit of time to realize what my “dream house” would truly be. I’ve lived in houses as well as apartments. I’ve learned that houses, although they have their perks, require a lot of upkeep. The time, maintenance and expense can be considerable and that this can impact on lifestyle as well.

An apartment is more compact, requires less upkeep as well as cleaning. And there are always neighbors close by. A condominium offers the opportunity of home ownership with all the perks of apartment living.

In short the "C"s have it for me: a Condo that’s

• Compact (easy on maintenance, in that someone else does it and smaller to keep clean),
• Close (to my neighbors) and
• Convenient (to all the amenities).
  

Lonya is the staff writer for Wo-Built Inc.

Next design idea: The Houseboat

Wo-Built Inc. is dedicated to women in the trades. We created Wobinna & Friends to encourage women to look at the construction industry as an alternative career choice with a multitude of options. Wobinna & Friends is interested in all aspects of the construction industry. We would like to see more women explore the many opportunities open to them and become successful.

Wobinna & Friends and any associated characters, storylines and/or merchandise are the sole property and copyright of Wo-Built Inc. This includes all media.