Posts Tagged ‘RenoMark Calgary’

17 Essential Questions to Ask When Considering a Renovation or Custom Home Build – Part 4

Friday, August 19th, 2011

Continuing the Questions to Ask blog series… read below for Part 4!

Question 10: Do you charge a deposit?
Pinnacle Group:  Yes we collect a deposit at the onset of your project to place orders for materials that will be required including: exterior windows/doors, framing materials, special-order items such as plumbing fixtures etc. In order to collect deposits or progress billings of any kind, Pinnacle is required by Alberta law to be a Bonded Contractor and carry a ‘Pre-Paid Contractors license’.

Question 11: Do you know about the lien regulations and requirements of the Alberta Government?
Pinnacle Group: Yes – each province has requirements for holding back a portion of all payments to your Builder from date of substantial completion. Doing this protects you from claims if the Builder fails to pay Suppliers and Subcontractors.

Question 12: How many years have you been in business?
Pinnacle Group
:  Paul Klassen, founder and General Manager of Pinnacle Group is an Interprovincial Journeyman Carpenter and has been in business since 1984 as a Professional custom home-builder and Renovator. (Pinnacle Group Renovations by Design Ltd.) was founded in 1998. 

Join Us Tomorrow for Our Pre-Board Tour!

Friday, August 12th, 2011

Just a reminder to join us tomorrow, Saturday August 13th, for a sneak-peek at a Pinnacle Group Custom Home Build currently underway!

This opportunity comes around only a few times each year, and we encourage you to take advantage of this fantastic chance to view an incredible home in the ‘pre-board’ stage of construction! Pre-board means the home is completed up to drywall installation; essentially the ‘guts’ are in place and now is the only chance to see them before they are covered up forever! The ability to see what’s behind the walls in a home is rarely offered to public viewers, but we feel it provides insight into Pinnacle’s attention to detail and concern with every aspect of the project.

Our Staff, Trades & Suppliers will be on hand to answer your questions and provide personal guided tours of the project – come join us for refreshments and an exciting opportunity to peruse this incredible home!

Click on the link for time, directions and a map to the site location. Take Highway 2 South and follow the map from there!
http://us2.campaign-archive1.com/?u=4cbf93fa387c4bd632957cd6e&id=363708c4f0&e=22feb56515

17 Essential Questions to Ask When Considering a Renovation or Custom Home Build – Part 2

Friday, August 12th, 2011

As promised; the continuation from last week! We feel the questions presented in this blog series are vital for the arsenal of any potential Renovation/New Home Client. These questions should be asked of every Renovator or Custom Home Builder, to determine their industry experience and corporate integrity.

Once again, we have provided Pinnacle Group’s answer to each of these questions to offer a benchmark of standards to look for.

Question 4: Are you registered with the Better Business Bureau?
Pinnacle Group:  Not only are we a member of the BBB and hold an A+ rating, Pinnacle Group was awarded the 2011 Better Business Bureau Ethics Award in the Small Business category! Nominees in this category included all business disciplines across the city of Calgary so to win this Award is truly an honour. Nomination for this Award is submitted anonymously; a rigorous judging panel then scrutinizes the business practices on every level. The areas that are judged include: testimonials from clients, accountability to trade/supplier payment, scrutiny of employee manuals, training policies, safety programs, corporate financial strength, corporate business processes, as well as charity involvement. Somewhat serendipitous is the fact that Paul Klassen, the founder of Pinnacle Group, has spent the last number of years serving on and chairing the RenoMark™ Council to ‘raise the bar’ in Calgary’s renovation industry. To receive an Award of this caliber is a testament to his efforts in contributing to this initiative. In the past, the reputation of the renovation industry has certainly had its challenges; this Award however signifies that the mandate of the original RenoMark™ members has successfully been established.

Question 5: Do you have any unresolved or unanswered complaints at your local Better Business Bureau?
Pinnacle Group
:  No, we have had no complaints to date and as such have no unresolved issues.

Question 6: Do you have Business Liability Insurance, and do you carry Workman’s Compensation Insurance?
Pinnacle Group:  Yes, as a RenoMark™ Renovator we are required to carry a minimum of $2 million in liability insurance. We have coverage for workplace safety and employers’ liability and only work with subcontractors who carry such coverage.

Check back next week for part 3 of this informative series!…

17 Essential Questions to Ask When Considering a Renovation or Custom Home Build

Wednesday, August 3rd, 2011

Contemplating a renovation or custom home build can be a daunting task, especially considering the numerous organizations to choose from within the industry! There are a number of crucial questions that a client should ask each potential renovator/custom home builder; both to determine their industry experience as well as their overall company integrity.

Over the next few weeks we will be posting a comprehensive list of questions we suggest you use to determine which renovation/custom home build company will be the best ‘fit’ for your project. Of course there are many more that could be added to this list; however this will be a great place to start! These questions were compiled from the recommendations of third party consumer protection organizations including the CRHBA (Calgary Region Home Builders Association), CMHC (Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation), Better Business Bureau (BBB) and RenoMark™. Only the most qualified and reputable companies will be able to properly answer these questions, establishing the trust necessary to have a worry-free and enjoyable renovation or new home build experience. We have provided Pinnacle Group’s answer to each of these questions to offer a benchmark of standards to look for.

Question 1: Are you a RenoMark™ Renovator?
Pinnacle Group:  Yes we are! In fact Paul Klassen, Founder & GM of Pinnacle Group Renovations is one of the founding members of Calgary’s chapter which is dedicated to providing consumers with access to high quality, integral, and ethical renovation companies. As well, he has served on the RenoMark™ Council for several years, including chairing the Council in 2010-2011.

Question 2. Are you a member in good standing of the Canadian Home Builder’s Association – Calgary Region?
Pinnacle Group: We are a member in good standing and feel the CHBA/Calgary Region is supporting a well-rounded group of builder/renovator members serving the Calgary Region.

Question 3. Do you abide by the Canadian Home Builders’ Association – Calgary Region Code of Ethics?
Pinnacle Group:  Yes, as a RenoMark™ Renovator we are required to abide by both the RenoMark™ Code of Ethics as well as the CHBA Code of Ethics; to date Pinnacle Group has not been in violation of, or had any unresolved consumer complaints in either RenoMark™ or CHBA’s Code of Ethics.

…Check back in a few days to see the next segment of this blog post!…

Pinnacle Group’s DNA-Process™

Tuesday, August 2nd, 2011

You are unique; unequivocally defined by your DNA blueprint. These distinctions extend to all aspects of your life, including your home. At Pinnacle Group, we understand that to build an authentic living space, a family’s needs, desires and aspirations must be infused into the design of their home. We regard this as a family’s ‘DNA’….defined as our DNA-Process™.

In our view, the family’s ‘DNA’ must be the driving force for a renovation or custom home build. To do it any other way ultimately leads to some dissatisfaction after the fact. Statements such as, “I should’ve done this differently…”, “I didn’t think of that…”, or “I wish I would have…” all result from the fact that the family’s ‘DNA’ was not initially considered.

We believe a home is a family’s personal sanctuary where life’s fondest memories are created and preserved. The family home serves as both an anchor and a compass, providing support and direction to all family members. Capturing the essence of our client families and creating spaces that support their diverse needs is truly the heartbeat of Pinnacle Group’s business philosophy.

You may be asking yourself at this point, “What does a biological term have to do with renovations or custom home builds?”

At Pinnacle Group, our understanding of how to read your family’s unique ‘DNA’ is part of our distinct Vision; is ingrained in our internal proprietary process, and is the core of our success. We go beyond even the highest levels of the Renovation and Custom Home building industry… into a completely new realm of home personification.

When we start the design process of renovating or building a home, we begin with a detailed interview and analysis of who you are—whether you’re a retired executive, a successful professional, a bourgeoning business owner, or a growing family. We find out how you and your family would like to flourish in all areas of your life and choose materials and design directives based on these findings. This process, in combination with expertly completing your project on-time and on-budget, is precisely why we have an enviable client satisfaction rating; this is based on post-project client interviews of all of our clients completed by Client Insight Inc., an independent 3rd party assessment and survey firm.

Pinnacle Group’s DNA-Process™ stands for:

D– Design

N– Needs

A– Alignment

At Pinnacle Group, we go far beyond superficial discussions when determining the right design for your home. From the onset, we pay close attention to all of the details of your vision, no matter how clear or vague that vision may be. Whether or not you are completely sure about what you really want or need, our extensive needs analysis questionnaire that each family member fills out, allows us to uncover the small nuances that often make the biggest differences.

Pinnacle Group has developed an extensive needs analysis questionnaire that we use to precisely determine your family’s unique requirements for your renovation or custom home build. This detailed questionnaire is specifically designed to cover all bases and to compel you to think about what you really need; exploring angles that you may not have ever considered before but are critical to the new design. We are serious about creating the perfect spaces for you and your family that; not only serve today’s needs…but include anticipating the inherent gifts, talents and aspirations that each member of your family possesses.

Once we have a clear understanding of what distinguishes your family’s needs, we can begin creating a design; then progress to a 3D rendering of your newly remodelled space or custom home design. We use this rendering as the starting point of collaboration with you on the actual final design. We completely understand that seeing something on a blueprint or sketch is not the same as seeing something “virtually.” The 3D virtual experience allows you to be able to “walk through” the space and “experience” it without actually being there. Our 3D modeling software allows you the freedom to explore possibilities perhaps not yet considered. If for example you wish to shift a wall to ensure that your unique piece of Art fits perfectly, or move a window ever so slightly to better capture the views, reconfigure your Master Suite to best place your furnishings…etc…we can immediately show you what it will look like; all of these changes can be done in real-time, with a simple click of the mouse!

Taking the time to accurately determine the ‘DNA’ of every Client allows us to create a home that each member of your family can truly say is their favourite place to be!

For more information on Pinnacle’s proprietary DNA-Process™, please call our office at 403-720-8789.

Pinnacle Group Wins Better Business Bureau’s Ethics Award

Wednesday, May 11th, 2011

2011 BBB Business Ethics Award

There’s an excited buzz around Pinnacle Group this week! After receiving a nomination for the Better Business Bureau’s Ethics Award, Pinnacle was chosen as the winner of this prestigious Award in the Small Business category. This Award includes every business discipline across the city of Calgary so the final recipient of this Award is truly a business that stands above the rest!

Somewhat serendipitous is the fact that Paul Klassen, the founder of Pinnacle, has spent the last number of years serving on the RenoMark™ Council – including chairing the Council for the past 12 months – to ‘raise the bar’ in the renovation industry here in Calgary. To receive an award of this calibre is a testament to his efforts in contributing to this initiative.

This Award must be submitted anonymously, after which every business practice on every level is scrutinized by a rigorous judging panel. The areas that are judged include: testimonials from clients, accountability to trade/supplier payment, scrutiny of employee manuals, training policies, safety programs, corporate financial strength, corporate business processes, as well as charity involvement.

The reputation of the renovation industry has certainly had its challenges in the past; for a Renovator to win this Award is a testament to the fact that the original initiative by RenoMark members has achieved its mandate as this Award recognizes one of its founding members.

To view BBB’s press release, please visit their website at http://calgary.bbb.org/article/local-businesses-honoured-for-exceptional-business-practices-at-bbbs-business-ethics-awards-27124

We would like to take this opportunity to thank our incredible Staff, Suppliers and esteemed Clients; this absolutely, unequivocally could not have been achieved without all of you!

The Pinnacle Team!

Current Renovation Project Tours – Another Pinnacle Group ‘First’ Initiative!

Saturday, March 26th, 2011

Pinnacle will be launching another new initiative the beginning of April, designed to provide visiting guests a chance to view a renovation currently underway! We will be opening up a few homes under construction at varying stages in the renovation process, giving you an opportunity to tour the project! Our knowledgeable Renovation Consultants, as well as a number of our skilled Trade Partners will be on hand to answer your questions.

This mid-construction Tour gives you a chance to see all the newest building technologies, energy efficiency initiatives, and the latest construction methods which are all hidden ‘behind the drywall’ in a typical showhome. We’re opening up these homes for you to see all those trade ‘secrets’ before we close up the walls!

Come join us for a tour of one of our current projects; view before pictures and 3D plans of the renovation changes, enjoy complimentary Tim Horton’s coffee and donuts, and ask your various questions to members of our experienced Team!

Our first tour will be held Saturday April 9th, from 10:00am-3:00pm in Lake Bonavista. For address and directions please call our office at: 403-720-8789. We look forward to seeing you there…!

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 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

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.