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.

A Unique Look at Living Space: This Box Gives New Meaning to “Outside the Box”

Imgur - Just a box..Oh wait! by krimpaa *

“Think outside the box” is so inside the box!

~ Christopher Peterson, Ph.D. in The Good Life

Source: psychologytoday.com: The Good Life: Positive psychology and what makes life worth living

So you’re confronted with it: an empty room with only a rather innocent-looking (or is it ominous-looking?) box awaiting you.

You approach it with trepidation and perhaps some tepid curiosity. It looks innocent enough; there’s nothing particularly special about the markings or materials. Entirely unremarkable. But curiosity gets the best of you. Moving in for a closer look, you find latches and hinges.

You really have no choice but to begin fiddling with it.

Well that was unexpected. It’s clearly a configurable box, and it’s beginning to configure itself in the empty space of the room.

A little more configuration reveals the contents of the box. They will need to be removed and arranged, but into what?

Removing the top piece, you seem to have created…ANOTHER BOX! This is either a very good sign or a sign of regression.  But let’s continue…

Great. MORE BOXES! Still, I doubt anyone would have gone to these lengths to play a practical joke on you. There must be SOMETHING worth getting at, so let’s continue our configuration.

Still more boxes within boxes.

Is that a little stool for the desk? Things are beginning to look up.

A closet appears to be forming in the corner…

I don’t know about you, but I’m beginning to get the sense there’s more to this box than meets the eye: is that a mini wardrobe and a shelving unit?

I’m getting the distinct impression this box belongs in a college dorm room…

…or a Jr. bachelor apartment in Tokyo.

If our eyes don’t deceive us, that’s a bed…

…complete with wardrobe and plenty of storage…

…for all the stuff you could need in your bedroom!

At Wo-Built, we’re all about clever use of space and get a kick out of innovations like this complete bedroom set in a box.

We hope you got a kick out of it too. And for more kicks, checkout the video, below! (Also for those sceptics who are thinking to themselves: “yeah, but it probably takes FOREVER to take apart and set-up!”).

Well, the video is UNDER 3 MINUTES, so you be the judge!

VIDEO: Room in a Box: complete room packs into a small cube! by UpBeatnik

Source: YouTube: http://youtu.be/ajzM8nRfkfY Uploaded by UpBeatnik

Attila Lendvai
VP of Strategic Development
Wo-Built Inc. - Innovative Design and Build
Project Director
PeapodLife - Advanced Human Habitat via Building EcoSystems & Technology

* Images and Original Story Source: viralnova.com: It Looks Like A Boring Box In A Room. But What Came Out Of It Blew My Non-Engineering Mind.

"Bringing the outdoors in" is Our Kind of Language!

Image Montage by Wo-Built: Wo-Built and PeapodLife Logos + “pPodLite” Rainforest Ecosystem alongside Full-page Article from The Toronto Sun’s New Homes and Condos Section: “Bringing the outdoors in” by Erica Geldman, “Condo Chic.” 

Source: virtual.homes-extra.ca: Toronto Sun: New Homes & Condos: Condo Living

"Bringing the outdoors in" - The Toronto Sun Lives up to its Name

"The Light which shines in the eye is really the Light of the heart."

~ Rumi, Ancient Sufi Poet

Source: allgreatquotes.com: Love Poems of Jalal ad-Din Rumi

We love light. Natural, full-spectrum, warm, inviting, comforting, Vitamin-D-enriching, plant-nourishing, soul-rejuvenating, glorious light.

So here’s a shout-out to Erica Gelman of The Toronto Sun. Her recent “Condo Chic” column in the paper’s New Homes & Condos section (Friday July 19th & Sunday July 21st, 2013), simply entitled: “Bringing the outdoors in” was right up Wo-Built’s alley.

Erica’s argument in a nutshell?...

“...we can’t always rely on Mother Nature to provide us with ideal outdoor weather. … Why not design spaces that allow you to bring the outdoors in and enjoy summer living all year round [and]…rejuvenate in your own oasis all year long.” 

~ Erica Gelman, “Bringing the outdoors in, ” Toronto Sun

Wo-Built couldn’t agree with you more, Erica!  That’s why we began PeapodLife Building EcoSystems & Technology: to create Advanced Human Habitat that makes your home literally feel like it’s situated, not just in the woods, but in a rainforest!

Erica suggests “choosing pieces that reflect the outdoors will automatically refresh your home,” even if it means simply “having fresh flowers on your kitchen table.” (Erica Gelman, “Bringing the outdoors in, ” Toronto Star) PeapodLife Rainforest EcoSystems do much more than that! Just look at a smaller “pPodLite” systems:

Image: PeapodLife Composite photo rendering: “pPodLite” Rainforest EcoSystem spruces up drab interior.

Bromeliads, orchids, and lush moss leap from the one-of-a-kind Living Wall Ecosystem, filling your senses with a symphony of colour while trickling waterfalls gently fill your ears with the sounds of life.

All the while, the high-order ecosystem scrubs the air of toxins, allergens, VOC’s and those nasty “I’m stuck inside a building” aromas that can ruin your outdoors-indoors experience. Ecosystems produce air naturally, and can make your indoor air quality up to 10 times fresher and cleaner than outside!

If you’ve got the budget and are looking for something a little more dramatic, an addition or complete re-design and re-build of your home is no problem for Wo-Built. We specialize in taking older Toronto properties and giving them spectacular contemporary overhauls: 

Image: Complete Overhaul & Second Storey Addition Before & After by Wo-Built

As you can see from the before and after photos, above, Wo-Built is known for delivering:

• High ceilings
• Lots of natural light
• Plenty of practical, useable space
• Innovative designs (no cookie-cutter approach here)
• Pleasant design & build experience with a woman-owned company

Image: Kitchen Makeover Before & After by Wo-Built

For more information on how Wo-Built can help you get more outdoors, indoors, visit our website.

To literally get the best of nature into your home, office, spa, etc., visit peapodlife.com today.

5 Reasons Why Remodeling Can’t Compare with "AHH…!"

Collage: Remodeling vs. Advanced Human Habitat

pPodLite Muro and pPodLite Angolo self-contained vertical garden ecosystems

Image Credits: PeapodLife; MS Office ClipArt: Woman Construction, Man Construction

pPodLite Muro and pPodLite Angolo self-contained vertical garden ecosystems create Advanced Human Habitat; are the BEST way to give any old décor a new lease on life!

So you’re all fired up to improve your space. You’ve got a budget in mind and you’re ready to take on the project of re-inventing your home, office, retail boutique…whatever! Before you do, we think you should save yourself lots of time, money and headaches and give yourself some “AHH…!” instead.

5 reasons why pPodLite Muro & Angolo Vertical Garden Ecosystems by PeapodLife are infinitely better than remodeling at revitalizing space and actually create Advanced Human Habitat.

• 1. There’s no substitute for nature. No art, paint, furniture, appliances wallpaper, tile, window dressing, carpet, or anything else you can think of can replace the universal appeal of nature. Not only that, none of your efforts to change the look and feel of the space will improve the air quality or vitality of the atmosphere. It will only ever be a “special effect;” a substitution for the real thing. pPodLite is the real deal. It is a cause of positive effects: in you and everyone else.
• 2. Remodeling is just a temporary “fix”. Magazines and interior design gurus will tell you what fabrics, furniture, flooring, lighting and accessories are “hot” right now, but a few seasons from now tastes will change. It’s like the belief you can merge old and new architecture. What happens when the “new” becomes old again? The key is to find and accentuate timeless beauty.  Nature is always in style: ecosystems are alive! They grow, adapt and change all the time.
• 3. Remodeling may look good, but an ecosystem feels incredible. Sure, when your makeover is done, it’ll make you feel pretty good (if it went well; or relieved that it’s over with). But after a while, the pleasure effect will wear off, as it always does. pPodLite self-contained ecosystems are easy to install, and immediately change the energy and vitality of any space. People will ask you “did you remodel!?” not because they see the difference immediately; but because they can feel it. This is the “holy grail” of interior design. It comes standard in pPodLite.
• 4. Remodeling is expensive. To get “the right look” you may need to spend tens of thousands of dollars and countless hours of your time. Sure, you may enjoy remodeling. You may like browsing home décor magazines and watching HGTV until your eyes get bloodshot. But time is money. And just think what else you could be doing in a vibrant new living space in the company of a living, breathing vertical garden ecosystem which was installed in no time.
• 5. Treating plants only as expensive “living art” is a recipe for disaster. Thinking of jumping on the indoor vertical garden bandwagon because you like the look of it? Be prepared for “the revenge of mother nature.” Sellers of soil-based living walls won’t tell you about the mess, the smell, the dripping water. What’s that going to make your expensive makeover? (How are you going to change the soil in that vertical garden when it putrefies and dies?) As for hydroponic or other contrived ways of hanging plants in a completely unnatural way (i.e., without their roots firmly grounded and pointing downward toward the earth) be prepared to double, triple, or quadruple your home makeover budget long term. Oh, didn’t “the other guys” tell you about the ongoing plant replacement costs? Of course not, because they won’t admit to the facts: plants simply cannot survive long-term in any so-called “living wall” which ignores the fundamental laws of nature? The most fundamental of those? The law of the ecosystem; the law behind PeapodLife.

For more info and links, check out the official announcement at PeapodLife.com: PeapodLife Officially Launches pPodLite. You will also find PDF’s of product sheets for pPodLite Muro and Angolo.


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

Gala Salutes Green Innovation and Inspires Consumer Education

Collage by Wo-Built: "Keep this Consumer Clean"
Image Credits: MS Office ClipArt: "Clean planet sign in grass field" 
+ "Bald man with a barcode on his forehead".

Partners in Project Green is a growing community of businesses working together to green their bottom line by creating an internationally-recognized 'eco-business zone' around Toronto Pearson.”

~ Partners in Project Green Website

Keynote Speaker Raises the Importance of Greening Consumers "in the Home"

Last Thursday, Wo-Built attended the annual gala awards ceremony of Partners in Project Green (PPG). This networking organization helps businesses reduce energy and resource costs, uncover new business opportunities, and address everyday operational challenges in a green and cost-effective manner.

On that note, keynote speaker John Coyne, V.P. of Legal and External Affairs at Unilever Canada, made some fascinating observations about the lifecycle of Unilever consumer products.

As a world leader in sustainable business, Unilever tracks the resource intensity of its products from sourcing of raw materials straight through to manufacturing, shipping, sale, consumption, and post-consumer waste disposal. The results were not surprising.

On average, over 60% of resource intensity (energy, water, etc. used) takes place in the hands of consumers. This means no matter how sustainable Unilever makes its operations, the majority of consumption because of their products is beyond their control. Or is it?

Mr. Coyne outlined a number of strategies for educating consumers to use their products in more sustainable ways (such as taking shorter showers), most of them limited to their product in some way (i.e. packaging).

Wo-Built suggests another, more all-encompassing approach. To green the consumption of packaged household goods in the home, why not start by greening the house? To change consumer behaviour, one must change their environment. The reason is simple: we are all products of our environment. Sending them important educational information on package labels is also important, but imagine how much more potent such info will be if read within a living ecosystem!

Below is a small ecosystem installed in a High School. Similar units can dramatically improve the environment in homes, condos, small offices, and more. Impact of larger installations is even greater: visually, aesthetically and viscerally. You can feel the difference an indoor ecosystem makes.

Peapod Life Image: Small ecosystem installed in a High School.

We are all about educating consumers: in their home, at work, play, school, shopping, et al. Our approach is "show, don’t tell." The power of natural systems to inspire imaginations just by being there is extraordinary. Interacting with nature produces practical experience (real knowledge aka wisdom). Watching kids’ & teens’ responding to even the simplest ecosystems is magic. Being in the presence of one as an adult makes you feel like a kid again: youthful, rejuvenated … truly alive.

Wo-Built wishes to thank Unilever for its foresight and leadership in recognizing the importance of having a positive influence on consumer behavior with regards to sustainability.

We also wish to congratulate all the individuals and organizations who received awards from the PPG for leadership and excellence in the areas of sustainability, particularly those recognized for empowering people to become more environmentally responsible.


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

links:
partnersinprojectgreen.com: New Sustainable Business Leaders Emerge from the Pearson Eco-Business Zone
Partners in Project Green announced the recipients of the 2012 Partners in Project Green Sustainability Awards and winner of the People Power Challenge at Thursday’s fall networking event.
trca.on.ca: Toronto and Region Conservation for The Living City: New Sustainable Business Leaders Emerge from the Pearson Eco-Business Zone
Media Release, Oct 16, 2012

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

Affordable Home Additions that Rejuvenate Your Quality of Life: Herbs!

Photo Montage: Rejuvenate Your Life: Herbs!
Images Credit: Microsoft Office Clipart: Plants + Bread eggs and herbs + Herb gardens
2012 @ wobuilt.com

"Oh, better, no doubt, is a dinner of herbs, When seasoned by love, which no rancor disturbs, And sweetened by all that is sweetest in life, Than turbot, bisque, ortolans, eaten with strife"
- Edward G. Bulwer-Lytton, British politician, poet, critic and prolific novelist, 1803-1873. Source: thinkexist.com

People’s use of wild herbs for food and medicine predates written history. Since then, philosophers, theologians, healers, magi, cooks, beauticians, authors and poets have written about the virtues of these precious plants.

With curative powers and cosmetic uses to rejuvenating aromas and delightful flavours, herbs offer a natural way to rejuvenate our quality of life. But how simple, easy, or affordable is it to make such an addition?

It’s not too much of a challenge to add a little herb box to your home on a windowsill in your kitchen. If you know your herbs and are a bit of a green thumb, that is. If you are a complete novice when it comes to edible plants, you’ll be facing a bit of a learning curve. A small herb box is affordable and a pretty easy upgrade for your kitchen.

But what happens if you are a real gourmand living in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA)? With the growing season so short, backyard gardens only get you so far. You can infuse oils and preserve herbs, of course, but there is no substitute for fresh. But how big an indoor herb garden can you conceivably have, even in a high-end kitchen?

You can build a greenhouse in your garden (if you get the permits for it), and trudge through the snow (or freezing rain, if this year is indicative of Toronto winters to come). Is there a better way to make the herbal addition?

Wo-Built is about to introduce the most exciting development in quality home renovations to hit affordable home additions for years: Space. Living. We call it Peapod. Affordable home additions and back extensions which combine real living space with green technologies and organic food, built into a self-sustaining custom design.

Come and visit Wo-Built at the National Home Show and Canada Blooms, from March 16th to the 25th in the Green Living Toronto pavilion. Bite into a fresh, green, affordable addition to your home and rejuvenate your quality of life with all the herbs you could ever hope for (and so much more).

Peapod: affordable new home additions blooming with fresh ideas like herbs. Rejuvenate your quality of life.


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

You can also find helpful information at the following links:

wobuilt.com/blog: East York Mirror: Wo-Built Home Builder with New Affordable Initiative
wobuilt.com/blog: A Second Storey Addition - New Construction Approach
wobuilt.com/blog: Construction Statistics and Economic Indicators: Signs for Future Projects
wobuilt.com/blog: Adding Value to Your House – How About Adding Value to Your Life?!
wobuilt.com/blog: An Addition = A Home that’s more than just the Sum of its Parts

Quality Renovations with Better Value: Press-Release

Press-Release: Property Owners See Better Value,
Fewer Headaches with Quality Renovations
2012 @ wobuilt.com

For Immediate Release

Property Owners See Better Value, Fewer Headaches with Quality Renovations

New Website: Renovating Trumps Moving; should be Fun, Stress-Free Adventure

Toronto, (January 6, 2012) – Property owners and real estate investors stand to benefit from renovating in 2012, but only if they lay aside their misgivings about construction. According to newly revamped website www.wobuilt.com, homeowners should consider renovating over moving and discover all the benefits a building project offers. Design & Build Champion, Wo-Built, Inc., is out to convince owners: building can be enjoyable, relaxing, rewarding.

“We inspire Toronto real estate owners and investors to take a bold plunge into a stress-free adventure in building,” says Wo-Built President, Martina Ernst. “We offer people an uplifting approach to construction: quality, value-based, friendly and fun. We keep homeowners excited about their new house.”

Many homeowners overlook the advantages of renovating due to misconceptions there’s less cost and fewer headaches in selling and buying a new home. Wo-Built puts this and other myths to rest with “Renovate or Move?,” revealing financial and other benefits of renovating an existing property versus selling/buying.

“Wo-Built offers homeowners a revitalizing, fun experience,” Ms. Ernst continues. “We promise to have a general contractor onsite regularly giving updates; looking after the client’s vision; really listening to them; handling issues and communicating solutions with honesty, clarity and transparency.”

A client advocacy approach relieves people’s worries about construction. Wo-Built fights for clients at every step of the process; ensuring homeowners get the best possible result for the budget they have to work with, maximizing property value with absolutely minimal impact on clients’ lifestyle and stress-level.

With real estate red-hot in the GTA and interest rates low, Wo-Built encourages property owners to take the plunge into fun and adventure with value-enhancing upgrades to properties that reward on many levels.

###

Wo-Built, Inc. is a women-owned Design & Build General Contracting Company specializing in residential, commercial and investment building projects including additions, major renovations, high-end kitchens, complete interior redesigns, new builds, and more. Wo-Built’s vision is “to be the best while doing good” for its clients, the community and the environment. Its social mission includes training and supporting women in the trades.

To arrange an interview with Martina Ernst, please contact 416-402-2679.

For further information:
Martina Ernst, President
Tel: 416-402-2679
Fax: 416-354-2555
Email: info@wobuilt.com

Media Contact:
Attila Lendvai, VP of Strategic Development
Wo-Built Inc. - Innovative Design and Build
Suite #3, 1287 St. Clair Avenue West
Toronto, ON M6E 1B8, Canada
Tel: 647-460-0560
Email: attila@wobuilt.com

Photos: Before and After
Second Storey Addition
2012 @ wobuilt.com

link:
newswire.ca: /CNW/ Canada Newswire: Wo-Built Inc. | Property Owners See Better Value, Fewer Headaches With Quality Renovations

Building Value in Your Home in Uncertain Economic Times

Collage: Build Value in Your Home
Illustration Credits: MS Office ClipArt
House with red roof & Red dollar sign
2011 @ wobuilt.com

"Price is what you pay. Value is what you get."
- Warren Buffet

If all the media hype around “uncertain economic times” is making you shop around for the lowest possible estimate on your building, addition, or major renovation project, you may want to think again.

Any financial planner will tell you one of the safest places to put your cash is in your home. With low interest rates and red-hot prices in Toronto, adding value to your home is a smart financial strategy.

Be advised: buyer beware. “You get what you pay for” is doubly true when it comes to building projects. Ask yourself (or better yet, ask your contractor): how can they promise so much for so little? What does a low price tag say about the quality of materials and labour used? A quality builder delivers real value. Quality is also the original eco-knowhow. Longevity and efficiency mean you save money over time and increase resale value. Adding the latest green technologies will add even more value over time.

Then there’s the question of design. We’re not talking fly-by-night fashion trends, here. You may have to live with your design decisions for years to come. You want a designer who understands this. The truth is good design saves money. Standard cookie-cutter layouts waste square footage. Smart design makes better use of space, and well-designed spaces work as good as they look.

Last but not least, there’s the whole process. A building project (especially an addition) can present challenges you may not have anticipated. Beware estimates that promise low costs with no contingency plans. You may be signing yourself up for more than you bargained for (and less of what you deserve).

You want to choose a design and build contractor who inspires confidence and delivers value, not the short-term high of "getting a deal." The money you think you’re saving today will cost you much more down the road; meantime, you’ll have to live with what you paid for.


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

You can read other related articles here:
wobuilt.com/blog: What to Do When You Outgrow Your House? Move or Be Moved?

wobuilt.com/blog: Aspects of Longevity of Design: How to Design Timeless Spaces

wobuilt.com/blog: Construction Statistics and Economic Indicators: Signs for Future Projects

wobuilt.com/blog: Adding Value to Your House – How About Adding Value to Your Life?!

wobuilt.com/blog: Top Renovations That Increase Home Value

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

Forget the Darker Side of Urban Life: Get Yourself Some Stairs and Step up into the Light

Photo Collage: Forget the Darker Side of Urban Life:
Get Yourself Some Stairs and Step up into the Light
2011 @ wobuilt.com

"They may be America's last pioneers, urban nomads in search of wide open interior spaces."
Cathleen McGuigan

When it comes to housing, you will pay per square footage according to the following:

1. Proximity to “happening places;”
2. How “happening” your place is;
3. Number of years since your place first “happened.”

Consider downtown Toronto for a moment. If want new apartment on a budget, expect to live in a 300 sq. ft. closet—er ...bachelor. You can save some coin while living relatively close to downtown in a slightly more spacious apartment with not too many creepy-crawly “tenants.”

What is true for condos is especially true for houses. To live near the lake, be it the Beaches, East York, Etobicoke or even Oakville, you might think you have to settle for a tiny bungalow built either at the turn-of-the-century or just after WWII. Welcome to “the dark side” of urban housing compromise.

But let’s take a look at that brand new 300 square foot bachelor studio condo for a moment. From brand new kitchens and stainless steel appliances to high-tech lighting and a murphy bed, a small space can be pretty swanky…when it’s planned and built with state of the art technology and modern design.

The trouble with older houses is that they were designed and built with the technology of their day. Luckily, a house (bungalow, backsplit, whatever) can not only be re-built, it can be expanded and upgraded with space that doesn’t exist yet. All it takes is a little vision to “see the light” of urban living.

Want a 3000 sq. ft. home near the Danforth and the lake instead of an hour north of Toronto? Then transform your 1000 sq. ft. bungalow into a two-story plus loft. (Maybe put a home gym, home theatre or legal apartment for guests or income in your newly re-imagined and bone-dry finished basement).

Are you an urban nomad in search of wide open interior spaces? Don’t search; find the wide open space above your head, beneath your feet, in front or out back. Call a vision builder who specializes in cutting-edge designs with the personal touch so you can step up into the light of a no-compromise urban life.

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

links:
wobuilt.com/blog: Another Addition Renovation We Are Proud of: The Wow Factor Approach!

wobuilt.com/blog: Good Daylight Design Strategy for Your Home

When is a Home a Castle?

"Holway House, La Crosse" - watercolour painting by John W. Johnston
Image Credit: jwjonline.net
The personal web pages of John W. Johnston of Northampton, England - JWJ

"Yes, your home is your castle, but it is also your identity and your possibility to be open to others."
David Soul

It’s a very romantic notion: your home is your castle. Some might call it old fashioned, but I like to think of it as never being more relevant than it is today.

Our home is our sanctuary from the world “out there.” Sure, we might have a hi-definition window onto that world, but we watch it from the relative comfort of a sofa, a bowl of comfort food nestled lovingly in our loungewear-clad lap. In moments as these, our home is literally our “happy place.” From romantic nights to family get-togethers; new loves to newborns, the space we live in literally accommodates life’s most cherished people and moments.

It’s no accident that real estate prices increased again in September, with Toronto once again particularly buoyant. Considering the time, energy and money we spend on (and in) our homes, it becomes clear we’re investing in more than just a living space; we’re investing in our own “headspace.”

How do we feel when our space feels “off?” Can we feel we’re standing on solid footing living in an older home with potentially faulty footings? Where is our headspace when our living space was designed for people 50, 60 or even 80 years ago? Is it “our castle” when the walls seem “a little thin?”

Unlike our cranium and grey matter (which we’re more or less stuck with), a complete overhaul of our living space is possible and may be just what we need to overhaul our life! Just think what a total upgrade of your home’s core structures and components will do for your headspace (and heating bills).

Invest in some cool green technology. Build an addition for a home theatre, listening room, Jacuzzi, greenhouse…whatever reflects your headspace right now—or the future. With all the stress “out there,” making your home a castle of refuge for the space “in here” has never been more important.

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

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

Top Reasons to Do Kitchen and Bathroom Renovations

Collage: Planning a Home Renovation? Kitchens & Bathrooms
Are the Best Bet to Increase Your House Property Value!
2011 @ wobuilt.com

Bathrooms and kitchens - the main areas that will increase your property value (apart from building a home addition).

With the new, slightly tighter Canada's mortgage rules coming in effect March 18, 2011 it may be best to consider renovating the areas that give you the best bang for your buck (so to speak). Kitchen and bathrooms are on the top of the list, while basement renovations are close to the bottom for return on your investment. FYI - the most cost effective renovation measure is painting.

As a guide:

[ V ] A fully loaded kitchen renovation with gutting everything to the studs, new drywall, electrical, plumbing, custom cabinets, new faucets, new flooring, backsplash, countertop and painting can easily cost you in the range of $40,000, more or less.

[ V ] Equally a full bathroom gut and renovation will be easily in the range of $20,000.

[ V ] In addition a reserve fund of 20% should be available for unforeseen circumstances such as asbestos removal, mold issues, structural repairs and design changes.

Even though these costs seem high, they are typical; it is often the finishes that drive up the costs. In our experience compromising on the finishes will lead to disappointment as the second choices rarely will be satisfactory and can lead to buyer’s remorse.

Please consider that just doing a renovation to get the best return on investment is in our opinion the wrong reason for starting a renovation unless of course you are a developer. It takes a very detached attitude to make this kind of renovation profitable. As renovating a home is an emotional decision for the owner, the outcome should be enjoyed for a long time. A renovation should improve comfort, possible enlarge the space and add more attraction. It should also be to the owners’ taste and requirements; not to a potential hypothetical buyer.

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

links:
Department of Finance Canada: Backgrounder: Supporting the long-term stability of Canada’s housing market: Mortgage Insurance

canequity.com: Mortgage rules may slow home renovations in 2011
CanEquity News, Staff on January 21st, 2011

wobuilt.com: Top Renovations That Increase Home Value
by Sheila Doris

wobuilt.com: What do you want to get out of your home renovation?
by Martina Ernst

wobuilt.com: Kitchen Upgrade – Plan Yours Today!
by Lonya Miller

Thinking about Renovation? 10 Vital Things You Need to Know: Workshop February 22

Flyer: Wo-Built Inc. Home Design Workshop February 22, 2011
10 Vital Things You Need to Know before Starting a Renovation

As we mentioned before, we are going to continue our workshop series in 2011 in our new office in the Corso Italia area.

Wo-Built Inc. Invites You
to Our Next Home Design Workshop

10 Vital Things You Need to Know
before Starting a Renovation

When: Tuesday, February 22nd, 2011
Time: 7 – 9 pm

Location: 1287 St Clair Ave West, #3, Toronto, ON M6E 1B8
(St Clair Ave West and Greenlawn – Corso Italia)

We will explore the different stages of renovation, any pitfalls you may encounter and you will receive any general and specific advice you may need.

Bring photos of your spaces (interiors and exteriors) and take measurements of your house.

You should attend the workshop if you are thinking of or planning a renovation that may involve trades, permits, designers and engineers or is bigger than you want to handle by yourself.

Contact (416) 402 2679 to reserve your seat
or e-mail info@wobuilt.com.

See you there!

Photo: Wo-Built's Home Design Workshop at the Wise Daughters Crafts Market
First Session: Solving problem spaces:: April 1, 2009
2011 © Wo-Built Inc.

The Little Bungalow That Grew Up into an Elegant Palace

Photo-Collage: Residential Home Bungalow Renovation Project
Second and Third Floor Addition
2010 © wobuilt.com

We continue the publishing of the article "We Put a Lot of Steel in This Reno Project" about our another 2nd (and this time 3rd) floor addition for a residential home.

As general contractors we always want to be involved in building projects that are special. We are just finishing such a project. It was difficult, exasperating, fist shaking, with lots of obstacles, but the result is totally worth it. Totally!!!

We took a small bungalow and transformed it into an architecturally noteworthy building. This building is not about finishes, but about spaces, daylight, sightlines and openness.

The original bungalow presented many issues: the walls were not strong enough to hold the second and third floor addition. The foundations were not sufficient and the soil conditions were less than ideal. The site itself was narrow with access issues. We heard a lot of choice words from our trades when they had to work out how to do their work safely and fast.

The client wanted to preserve their first floor and the only option we had was to build a substantial steel structure around the first floor to support the upper floors. Our engineer consultant specified huge beams and columns, (we jokingly said that we were building the CN Tower, but as it turns out, wind loading on the building can be substantial).

The carpentry was fairly conventional and the trusses for the roof provide the structure for the studio space. The first batch of trusses was involved in an accident on the way to the site and we had a few worried hours before we knew that we would not be delayed long. The resulting interior of the studio space is spectacular.

As a female construction company we want to be more than just another general contractor. We want to provide the clients with innovative design and build solutions that are architecturally interesting and unique, as green as possible and are based on their individual needs. We are designsmiths and buildgurus.

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