A. VEGA

                                                   CONTRACTING

 

                      

79 on the EnerGuide scale

 

 

 

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A. Vega Contracting

April 2006

Business Vancouver Island                                  www.businessvi.ca

Cori Lynn Carlson

  Providing clients with the best value for their dollar since 1995, A Vega Contracting in Parksville remains committed to operating with the most highest of standards . With strong European roots, Vega embraces the standards and work ethics set by his forefathers, and believes today that his success is because of the mentors he had as an apprentice.

From planning through post construction, Aaron Vega and his team are committed to the project and the client. They serve their clients by evaluating alternative solutions, providing creativity, and continuously challenging themselves to come up with new ideas.

Delivering quality projects on time and within budget are the cornerstones on which they have built their reputation. To ensure that the clients are kept abreast of all the details of the build or renovation, Aaron provides each client with unique pass codes which allow them access to the backend of his website. It is here that the client will find all the documents related to the construction of the home. Building permits, drawings, timelines, all invoices related to the project and total to date costing of the project thus far. “ There are no surprises for our clients” says Vega “ They are kept informed every step of the way and by having all the information accessible online, the clients can review the information at their leisure.”

A Vega completes each project with a personalized gesture. Throughout each project he captures the build photographically providing the client with a visual keepsake of their investment. “It is important to me that my buildings leave a legacy of quality in the Oceanside area.”

“As a locally-owned custom homebuilder, our values have not wavered over time. That’s because we’ve maintained a signature personal touch that keeps our customers coming back.” Says Vega “When the industry giants turned to large-scale developments, pre-fabricated building materials and cookie cutter home designs, we continued with our own distinctive style and craftsmanship. As a result, we’re one of only a handful of custom homebuilders who can truly customize every aspect of your new home buying experience.” 

 

Concrete Proves to Cost Less in Design Study
Precast concrete’s benefits required less than 2 percent more total construction cost in The Fire Safe Construction Advisory Council study that compared construction costs among five building systems: conventional wood; light-gage steel framing with cast-in-place flooring system; masonry construction with a precast plank floor; precast walls and floor system; insulated concrete form (ICF) or concrete masonry units (CMU) walls with concrete floor system.
     The 800-page study compared two different multifamily building floor plan designs at four stories and 25,000 square feet.
     The International Building Code allows larger buildings to be constructed from wood when they incorporate active fire-protection systems, such as sprinklers. With that, designers chose wood for the economical benefits but now this study gives hard numbers to aid in future building design decisions.

 

 

 

Cost of Building Materials Raises Home Prices

COMPLEMENTS OF   http://www.pbf.org/   NEWS LETTER

Contractors' Costs Skyrocket

     Prices for construction materials, from lumber and nails to concrete and rebar are going through the roof, with some construction materials costing 50% more than a year ago.
     Higher lumber prices have added about $16,000 to the price of a new 2,300-square-foot ranch house, according to the Metropolitan Builders Association, a Wisconsin-based trade group that represents area home builders.
     Factors behind the increases include increased domestic demand for construction materials and global pressures for the same items. Higher crude oil prices have driven up the costs of petroleum-based products, such as roofing shingles, and have led to higher freight and transportation costs.
     Builders are caught in the middle, said Ken Simonson, chief economist for the Associated General Contractors of America. "After several years of flat or falling prices, abundant supplies and prompt deliveries, none of these conditions is a certainty anymore," he said. "Contractors have gone from an era of largely stable prices to extreme and unexpected volatility."
     Builders who paid $8.50 for a 4-by-8-foot sheet of OSB a year ago recently paid about $21 for the same material. Prices of metal building materials, from nails to structural steel, have increased at widely varying rates. Some builders have reported receiving surcharges from their steel distributors as global steel supplies have tightened.
     Builders have absorbed most of the additional costs to preserve their reputations with the public. Some builders and contractors are working together to get group discounts on materials. Others are beefing up their inventories on the premise that prices will continue to rise.

 

 

 

Spikes in the cost of lumber and other building materials –including steel and cement—have increased the price of new homes. They have had a similar effect on offices, industrial buildings and remodeling projects as well.
     Spurred by low interest rates, the nationwide demand for new homes has created a shortage of lumber, increasing its price. The diversion of supplies to Iraq also helped boost the tab for wood. In the past year, the framing lumber composite price rose to $443 per thousand board foot from $279 for the same amount, according to Tim Henderlong, president of Henderlong Construction Co. Plywood and oriented strand board (OSB) has doubled or tripled in price in some areas of the country, going from $6 or $7 a sheet to more than $20. That translates to a $3,000 price increase for enough lumber to build a 1,200-square-foot home.
     Dwayne Leininger, business development manager for a building supply dealer, estimates the cost of a moderately priced home increased 10 percent during the past year.
     "I haven't seen anything like this since the late '70s when inflation was double digits," he said. "One economist said this won't affect inflation, but I don't see how it can't."
     The building industry is seeing increased costs "everywhere," said Henderlong, who doubles as president of the Lake County Building Industry Association. Steel used for beams, angle irons, reinforcing rods, sheet metal work, furnaces, water heaters, air conditioners and appliances went up 60 percent to 80 percent.
     The unpredictable nature of the price increases makes it hard for contractors to respond to bid requests, because they don't know what material prices will be in 30, 60 or 90 days.
     "Any time they deal with uncertainty they have to build some additional cost into the project so they don't get caught later underbidding,” says one contractor. “So there are really two impacts: the cost of the actual building material increases, and the indirect cost of uncertainty that forces contractors to add in a additional amount to their bids to cover increases."

 

Department of Energy Investigates Concrete Wall Systems
     The Department of Energy (DOE) hosted a meeting in Chicago earlier this month to explore research and marketing opportunities for high-performance concrete wall systems. Called Building America, it consisted of government and private industry experts who gathered to discuss the advantages of using concrete walls for residential construction.
     Building America is a DOE/industry partnership focused on accelerating the development of energy efficient residential construction systems. Its goal is to develop building systems that reduce energy use by up to 70% over conventional wood frame construction and at the same time improve durability, cost effectiveness and comfort.
     The meeting was facilitated by the Consortium for Advanced Residential Buildings (CARB), one of six consortia working within the Building America program.
     NRMCA’s Lionel Lemay represented the ready mixed concrete industry for cast-in-place wall systems such as insulating concrete forms and removable forms. Representatives from other concrete products included precast, masonry and aerated concrete. The group of over 30 industry experts shared ideas and opinions on how best to take advantage of the substantial benefits of concrete wall systems.
     They discussed recent residential concrete projects, ideas for eliminating obstacles to increase market penetration and opportunities for research, prototyping and testing. CARB will develop research projects based on information gathered at the meeting.
     In 2003, concrete homes represented an estimated 16% share of new home construction, compared to 3% in 1993.

 

 

Contractors Experiencing Labor Shortage
According to a Construction Industry Institute study, 75% of the nation's contractors are experiencing work force shortages, reports the Facilities.net website.
     The U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) estimates that the construction industry will need to attract 240,000 workers each year to replace those leaving or retiring from the industry, while still allowing for industry growth.
     The retirement of older workers is also a great concern. According to the BLS, the average construction worker is 47 years old.
     Mark McLaughlin, public relations specialist for Illinois-based Nehlsen Communications, says part of the problem is that construction careers have a negative image. In the 2002 edition of the Jobs Rated Almanac construction jobs ranked relatively low: construction workers finished at No. 247 out of the 250 jobs listed.
     To help attract and recruit more students into the industry, several national and local organizations offer scholarship and educational programs.

 

 

New Licensing for BC Builders since July 1999  there have been big changes in the residential construction industry. BC builders now have to provide

  • current third party warranty insurance
  • Homeowners protection office license
  • home specs and maintenance manual

This new Regime will open the doors of communication between the Home owner, Financer and Contractor today we can post your on going job expenses over the internet on a secure server that only you have access to with a pass word. You can share this information with your lender or partner anywhere in the world.

This information is as easy as picking up the phone or logging on the net. You as a home buyer have the answer to virtually any question, making it a buyers world.

The future holds many new and innovative technologies that are going to make getting that information easier. Let's say you decide to have a house built and are in the middle of construction, you and your wife are discussing what type of furnace to install, forced air or heat pump. You can go to each manufacturer, first Bryant, then Carrier, to gather the information you are looking for and then compare each system at EnerGuide Canada to make an informed decision. You can also check up on the current cost of your construction all without leaving the comfort of your home.

We will also be introducing your tech-smart house that will give the owner full access to their home from any where in the world.

Web Changes

This is where we'll announce the most recent additions to our web site. If you've visited us before and want to know what's changed, take a look here first.

 

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Last modified: March 31, 2008