Posts Tagged ‘Reno Calgary’

2010 SAM Awards Preparation

Tuesday, November 9th, 2010

 This time of year elicits excitement & a flurry of activity as builders and renovators across the city finalize their entries for the Sales and Marketing (SAM) Awards. The SAM Awards are often viewed as the Oscars of the building community; understandably a lot of preparation goes into selecting the ‘award-worthy’ entries. Each builder/renovator carefully selects their best projects to showcase their company’s expertise; basements, bathrooms, additions, custom homes… there’s a category for them all.

This year Pinnacle has a number of projects we are especially proud of, and we’re in the final stages of compiling our photographs and project details for admission. Although it’s always an honour to showcase a silver goose as a winner of an award, competition is tight and there are typically numerous applicants in each category. Judges often have a difficult time choosing between the various entries, and to help make their job a little easier, last year an additional piece of information was required for each admission. Based on suggestions from the board of directors, as well as numerous Renomark members, client comments now accompany each renovation entry in order to give a truer reflection of the company in question. The better the customer experience, the more likely they will be to refer and positively review their renovator!

Pinnacle has always maintained referrals as our number one marketing tool; we passionately believe that a satisfied client is the best form of advertising available. We choose to endear our clients to us, and trust that they will refer their friends & family; 95% of them do, and they often even return again themselves!

We will be looking forward to attending the SAM Awards gala in April, and sincerely wish all participants in both the building and renovating entries the best of luck!

Pinnacle Group’s Support & Attendance at Safe Haven’s 11th Annual Street of Dreams Gala

Friday, October 29th, 2010

The Safe Haven Foundation’s annual Street of Dreams Gala is one of the most prestigious philanthropic events of our city. Bringing out the generosity of Calgary’s compassionate business community, it is a fun and lively evening of incredible food & drink, mingling of business owners and celebrity personalities, extraordinary silent & live auction items, and most importantly the continued support of our city’s most vulnerable citizens; our at-risk children & youth.

Each year Paul and Elaine Klassen, along with 6 honoured guests, attend the Gala to support the ongoing passion of Karen & John Sherbut and the Safe Haven Foundation. Attending the event with Paul & Elaine this year were Pinnacle’s Production Manager, Barry Johnson, and his wife, Lisa; Pinnacle’s Interior Designer, Tiffany Gibbons, and her husband, Marc; as well as a past Pinnacle client, Rhonda Bean, and one of her close friends Cindy Verot; both of which had heard of the Gala and were interested in experiencing and supporting it themselves!

This year’s event was held in the first-class venue of the Suncor Energy Centre; complimentary underground valet parking greeted the arriving guests, and upon exiting our vehicles, we were ushered up to the festivities by attentive staff. Stepping through the doors to the gala, we were welcomed with a live orchestral ensemble, champagne, and complimentary photographs were offered as a memorable keepsake of the evening! As a fun & unique spin on this year’s event, instead of a formal sit-down dinner, the “Street of Dreams” was lined with gourmet Chef’s Stations; each of which was paired with a Signature Drink and fabulous ‘Live’ Silent Auction Item. The food was outstanding, and ranged from Lobster Corn Dogs and Sunchoke Soup, to Seared Lamb Lollipops and Sushi Pizza! A Dessert and Gelato bar satisfied the sweet cravings with items such as Mini Charlottes and Dessert Shots.

Paul checking out the autographed jersey

Once again the auction items were incredible, with both a ‘Live’ and Silent Auction; the ‘Live’ items were bid on throughout the evening and ranged from a Viking Ultimate Kitchen (valued at $15,000) to a week for 6 on a West Coast Luxury Yacht – complete with full crew and provisions, to a 4’x8’ original painting by Jason Gogo. Pinnacle Group donated 3 items to the Silent Auction this year; a Waterboss 950 water softener & filtration system complete with recirculation pump contributing to thousands of litres of water savings per year for the fortunate bidder, a beautiful Blanco granite double sink & Kohler faucet, and a complete kitchen backsplash tile package. Each item included full installation, and all were well received by the bidding population! In addition; Paul had the good fortune to tee up with a former Pinnacle client; John Bean, who as VP of finance for the Calgary Flames graciously facilitated a signed Flames Jersey and stick…thank you John! The other auction items were kindly provided by long-time Pinnacle trades; Canyon Plumbing and Floors with Flair…thank you to these fine businesses for their generosity in this philanthropic endeavour!

Additional to the fantastic food and auction items, were various forms of entertainment – both roaming as well as fixed! Numerous stilt walkers mingled throughout the crowd, chatting with guests and periodically dancing to the music! A Caricature Artist offered cartoon renditions of anyone brave enough to sit still for 10 minutes – both Paul & Elaine and Barry & Lisa took the opportunity, with undeniably humorous results! Amongst the evenings other entertainments were the West Jet Balloon Pop, Tarot Card Readers, and live entertainment in the Dreamer’s Lounge by Zoe Theodorou.

Safe Haven and their partner, Brookfield Properties, once again surpassed themselves in the coordination and execution of a fabulous event; every detail was with the usual taste and style this foundation is known for. We will be looking forward to sponsoring and supporting next year’s Street of Dreams Gala! Thank you once again to Karen & John Sherbut, and all the staff, committee members and volunteers of Safe Haven Foundation for a fabulous 2010 Gala Event!

How's the weather up there?!

Barry & Lisa having fun with the Caricature

Marc & Tiffany enjoying the incredible food & drinks

Paul & Elaine with Karen Sherbut

Pinnacle Group Initiates Completion Celebrations – A House Party for You and Your Guests!

Monday, October 25th, 2010

What could be better than a party? How about an exclusive party for you… in your own home?! Completion Celebrations are just one of the recent initiatives Pinnacle Group has started with clients that are inclined to accept our celebration offer; so far they’ve been a raving success. Completion of anything worthwhile is cause for celebration, but completion of a renovation or “re-creation” of your home that you’ve been anticipating for months seems like an even bigger reason to break out the bubbly. With the opportunity to invite some of your closest friends for an intimate evening and official unveiling of your newly completed renovation, this is essentially a house party for your house – and your chance to shine! We supply the food and drinks, take care of prep and clean-up, and you supply the friends! It’s an evening of relaxed conversation, good food, and loads of compliments and admiration over your newly finished home – what could be more enjoyable?

We held one such celebration at a recently completed project in the area of Glenbrook on the evening of October 13th. With 6 guests on the homeowner’s invite list, it was an intimate evening of fun and laughter, the majority of the time being spent in their beautiful new kitchen and living room. This Glenbrook bungalow was given a main floor make-over; a complete modification of the living room, dining room, kitchen, bedrooms and bath, including the removal  of interior walls to create an open concept design – perfect for entertaining. This family’s design flair is distinctly modern, with crisp clean lines and a deep luxurious colour palette. A flat screen TV and recessed fireplace make the living room cosy and comfortable.

With ample time to visit and admire the finished product, the evening wrapped up with the guests expressing their appreciation for the warm hospitality, and the homeowners being presented with a custom gift basket full of gourmet goodies for their indulgence. Another successful conclusion to one more of Pinnacle Group’s Completion Celebrations!

Cheryl & Teresa


Kitchen bar full of goodies

Pump Hill Transformation- Creating Unique Spaces for Families

Wednesday, September 1st, 2010

For the past 6 ½ months, the team at Pinnacle Group Renovations has been transforming  a 2500 sq ft bungalow in the estate community of Pump Hill. This full home renovation is now complete and we couldn’t be happier with the spectacular result!

The home was gutted to the studs, incorporating several structural changes as well as an extensive eco-component which included the installation of a new furnace, hot water tanks and window systems. The ceilings were reinsulated and the exterior walls were thickened to improve the insulation value of the home. In addition, substantial open-cell spray foam was used to provide increased insulation to the outside wall cavities. We conservatively estimate that we have reduced this home’s carbon foot print by a significant 40%. As well, we recycled an extraordinary 10.5 tons of renovation debris! We are confident this project will be another award winning design recognized at this year’s upcoming SAM Awards.

Entrance into this crisp, contemporary design inspired home is through the solid hemlock custom front door where the grand foyer hosts an expansive, vaulted ceiling. Here you are greeted by an incredible floor to ceiling double sided fire place providing views from the foyer to the complete open concept great room.

The newly designed and constructed soaring 2 storey dormer found in the great room brings the outside views in, perfectly framing the magnificent backyard pine. There is liberal use of windows throughout the design of the home, capturing natural lighting wherever possible.

The kitchen boasts refined custom espresso maple cabinetry, triple build up granite counter tops, and an oversized island with seating for four. The complete appliance package was outfitted by Jerome’s, Calgary’s finest appliance supplier. A butler’s pantry equipped with its own dishwasher provides the transition between the kitchen and vaulted dining/flex room. Capturing the site lines of the two way fireplace, the open concept of this dining/flex room allows for the opportunity to transform it into anything from a formal dining room to a theater, den, home office or library.

The luxurious master retreat incorporates an impressive two-way fireplace, strategically located above the relaxing soaker tub, sharing views from the master bedroom to the ensuite. Adjacent to the soaker tub is a 6 ft x 4 ft floor to ceiling glass tiled shower with dual shower heads. Dual sinks can be found in the 10 ft long custom vanity featuring exquisite leathered-granite vanity tops.

A secondary bedroom was built inclusive with its own 3 piece bath and vanity allowing for a guest bedroom providing a welcoming sanctuary for visiting family and friends.

The rear entry to this home was completely reconfigured to accept a walk-in laundry area and sizeable mudroom complete with under counter washer and dryer.

The stairwell leading to the lower level was relocated from the far end of the house to a more central location and features a gorgeous maple, radius tread, wrought iron railing system designed by Prestige Railing. A games room area and dedicated exercise room were created on the lower level, still leaving more than half of the generous 2500 sq ft basement to be developed in the future if desired. A complete floor plan was created by our architectural designer ensuring that future bath, media and bedrooms all meshed with mechanical placements.

The entire home was also smart wired with a completely integrated sound, media and security system with recessed TV niches provided in both the great room and master retreat.

To further enhance this home, the exterior was painted and the overhead garage doors, roofing, windows, gutters and eavestroph were replaced, maintaining a subtle yet sophisticated estate feel. The exterior may be subtle and unassuming; however one step through the front door and it becomes quickly apparent; this home is a spectacular estate bungalow with the very best of new technology and design welcoming our homeowner and guests.

We would like to extend a sincere thanks and congratulations to all of the trades, suppliers and Pinnacle staff who contributed to this fine project and a very special thank-you to our valued client for allowing us the privilege of transforming their home into their favourite place to be! We look forward to posting our before and after gallery of this prominent home renovation to our website in the near future.

Illuminate Your Renovation! Digital Lifestyle Solutions Part 1

Sunday, July 4th, 2010

Pinnacle Group Renovations is proud of our incredible vendors and trades that together make up our extremely talented and dedicated team. We are unified by our goal to create a positive and respectful working environment and are dedicated to delivering an unsurpassed renovation experience to our clients!

Digital Lifestyles is one such vendor that we have been working with over the past 3 years. We are all aware of the steady progression of technology and the incredible array of lighting, sound, home theatre and security products that can sometimes seem daunting. However, together with Digital Lifestyles, we help our clients discern the best possible digital solutions for their home renovation to enhance the comfort of their home, making it their favourite place to be!

Whether it’s fully automated lighting illuminating your home according to your watch, the entertainment a home theatre provides, impressive music packages with state of the art sound and control, the peace of mind a security system brings, or the convenience of a smart-wired home, Digital Lifestyles has the ability and experience to help our customers create a truly customized digital home environment.

We recently had the opportunity to tour Digital Lifestyles showroom which they frequently update with the most leading edge, current technology solutions available to our clients and we were incredibly impressed as always! The variety of choices is amazing and we are certainly glad to have Digital Lifestyles on board to help guide our clients through this tech-savvy portion of their renovation.

Just in lighting alone – it is incredible how much has changed over the years.

Essentially, the lighting options that were once only available in upscale, luxury homes are now becoming common place. The cost of automated lighting systems has drastically reduced due to the ease of installation of new products and the decrease in hardware costs. Mike Dummer, at Digital Lifestyles reports that gone will be the day of the traditional on/off light switch; this will be driven by the incredible energy conservation offered by programmed dimming and the ability to create mood and accent lighting scenes that were not possible by the traditional light switch. Programmed dimming, allows you to run your lights at 90%, saving an incredible amount of energy without any noticeable difference in brightness at barely more than the cost of your conventional dimmers and switches. The concept of lighting a home has also changed from installing a single on/off circuit to the ability to customize and design your lighting scene determined by individual room requirements.

We will continue in future blog postings to provide information on additional exciting digital lifestyle solutions available to our clients when renovating their homes.

Reno Green Renovation Tips

Saturday, June 5th, 2010

Did you know a single re-roof using an enviro-friendly roofing product could save 800 tires from ending up in the landfill?

There are many exciting eco-conscious solutions available when selecting roofing products. These range from solar roofing tiles which we touched on in our May Reno Green Tip, to a product called EUROSHIELD™ which contains a minimum of 75% recycled materials, the majority of which is crumb rubber from tires!

>> View the Video for this RenoGreen Tip!

After many years of research and development, EUROSHIELD™ Roofing Products were created with the goal of recycling the tremendous amount of used tires destined for the landfill. The result was one of the world’s finest synthetic roofing products available on the market today.  The production of a EUROSHIELD™ roof on an average sized home uses anywhere from 600-1000 rubber tires! This product is affordable, maintenance free and increases the value of your home. It is attractive, lightweight yet durable, and is fast and easy to install. EUROSHIELD™ manufactures three types of eco-friendly roofing systems – EuroSlate™, EuroTile™ and EuroShake™. As well, any scrap material generated through the installation process can be collected and recycled again – virtually eliminating environmentally harmful waste!

In addition to this product, Iko is a manufacturer/supplier of an environmentally friendly roofing alternative made from 30% recycled material. Iko is the only asphalt manufacturer recognized by BuiltGreen™.

You can further reduce your carbon footprint by contacting a roofing installation company that recycles your old roofing product. Asphalt shingles can be recycled for roads and cedar shakes can be recycled for mulch. From start to finish your roofing project can be a complete green initiative!

For more information on these products and other environmentally friendly roofing initiatives, contact a reputable authorized installer.

Top 10 Questions to Consider When Interviewing your Renovator

Wednesday, May 26th, 2010

When you bring contractors, carpenters, plumbers and assorted workmen into your home, you are potentially opening up a significant portion of your family’s home life to them. Not only do you need to confirm that they are competent professionals, it’s imperative that you assess their integrity as well. You want to know that not only can you trust them to orchestrate the project correctly, but they must also respect your family, your home, and its contents.

Our Vision is Clear

You can avoid most serious problems with a little planning and foresight. You want both capable and honest workers in your home, and you can increase your chances of a successful and stress-free renovation by referring to this list of the top 10 questions to ask a renovation company before hiring them.  Please read our Free Report Here. Thank You.

Our Vision & Goals
Pinnacle’s Vision…The Very Best for Your Home

Pinnacle Group’s vision is to provide premium renovation solutions by combining our client’s needs and wishes with outstanding designs, professional workmanship, exceptional service, and integrity; while continually improving the client experience. In order to achieve this goal, each Pinnacle Group team member will receive the necessary educational training and corporate support required to empower them to profitably produce those results.

Choosing a Renovator is About TRUST.

Tuesday, February 16th, 2010

Whether dealing with a renovator, or just going about our lives as usual, trust is perhaps the most important ingredient in our personal or business relationships.

When was the last time you heard someone say “Trust Me”? Did it make you want to trust them? Probably not. We tend to have a lot more faith in people that don’t ask to be trusted. People who just do things that prove they are worthy of trust.

And trust has two parts to the equation. For a person to be truly trustworthy, they must be a person of integrity to have earned trust, and they must be able to get the required job done.

If your best friend, a person you trust implicitly, is an accountant; you probably would not trust them to give you a root canal! When you trust someone, you wouldn’t be so foolish as to count on them to perform a task they were not capable of, would you? But misplaced trust is all too common.

That is probably why there has been an entire cottage industry built on cleaning up after poor renovators. With TV shows like Holmes on Homes, and the abundance of media attention on homeowners who have been burned by renovators with shady business practices, the message keeps coming across to be careful about who you hire.

No matter what the job is that you need done, in whatever industry is represented, why do so many people take the perceived easy way out? A quick decision made on the basis of price or convenience could turn out to be inconvenient and incredibly costly down the road. Here are a few tips to make your life just a little more painless.

  1. When researching a company or an individual to see if they have earned the right to be trusted, one of the first things to look for is a sense of establishment. Has the company gone to great lengths to create permanence in their image? Are they easy to track down and find their place of business? The last thing you want is a fly-by-night outfit skipping out with funds before a project is complete, and unfortunately it happens every day in many industries.
  2. What is their reputation like? How easy is it to find information about their business online? Again, a company that has gone to work to be accessible, above board and legitimate in their efforts to communicate with past, present and potential clients indicates a desire to please.
  3. Finally, and perhaps most importantly; once you have narrowed down the type of company you believe can fill the scope of your needs, interview them. Do you ‘click’ with them? Are they the best people for the job? It is amazing how easy it is to get a sense whether they are the right company for you and you are the right client for them.

By following these steps, you can make the best decision possible using your head and your heart, and not just one or the other.

A wonderful result of trust is that in the fast paced world we live in, it is the one ingredient that once established, can make a process move along quickly. Trust creates synergy and understanding, attributes that are not present when there is distrust in the mix.

Yes, trust takes commitment and effort to establish, and you can generally tell when a company is committed to a strong relationship with their clients. We hope that this blog has given you a few simple insights to make your next decision easier and based on the things that matter.

© Pinnacle Group – Renovations by Design Ltd.