Premium Urban Design Preferred Partner with CARB & PAC

Posted on by Premium Urban Design

Press Release

Premium Urban Design Preferred Partner
with CARB & PAC

New BC Preferred Partners Canadian
Alliance of Residential Builders & Pacific Home Warranty (BC)
Victoria, December 3, 2010: Premium Urban Design today announced new
preferred partnership with the CARB & Pacific Home Warranty for British
Columbia. In our CARB agreement as a
Preferred Partner, we agree to provide a superior price and/or level of service
to all their members. Only one company is chosen from each product line to
become a Preferred Partner, ensuring benefits for the partner and members.
Premium Urban Design resides in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. Our company
is privately owned, made up of a Architectural Building technologist and
Designers with more than 15 years of business experience on Vancouver Island.
Market segments serviced by the firm include New Residential, Real Estate
Market, commercial and government facilities, and contractors needing design, or
updates.
The Canadian Alliance of Residential Builders (CARB) is an
organization that represents its 1,500 plus member companies.  All builder and
renovator members of Progressive Home Warranty Solutions on the prairies and
Pacific Home Warranty Insurance Services in BC are automatically members of
CARB, through their warranty affiliation.  This provides a huge added value for
these builders. The main focus of CARB is to serve as a buyer’s group for its
builders.  CARB has a number of Preferred Partners who offer prices and services
to the membership that they wouldn’t be able to receive if they weren’t part of
the organization.
CARB encourages green building practices through its
promotion of LEED Canada for Homes and provides a large amount of information on
market trends and analysis along with technical construction changes. It also
provides a voice for its members in meetings with government and other
stakeholders.
Some 1,500 building companies in British Columbia, Alberta,
Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Atlantic Canada are members of
CARB.

HST ‘hurts new home construction’

Posted on by Premium Urban Design

Victoria housing starts also down due to lack of multi-family
projects

By Andrew A. Duffy, Times
ColonistMay 10, 2011
Homebuilding in Greater Victoria was down 24 per cent over the
first four months of 2011 compared to the 10-year historical average, says
Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation.
A combination of fewer multi-family
developments breaking ground and uncertainty over the fate of the harmonized
sales tax appears to be behind the sluggish start to the year.
“Everything
has been pretty slow across the Island over the first few months, but I’m still
optimistic about the summer and fall months having seen what’s on the books, has
been approved and what’s in the planning stages,” said Travis Archibald, senior
market analyst with CMHC. “But again, the biggest factor is on the multi-family
side – any one project can have a big impact on the numbers and right now we
haven’t seen much in terms of apartment and townhome starts this year.”
There
were 445 total housing starts over the first four months of the year in Greater
Victoria, a 47 per cent drop from the same period in 2010. Of those, only 249
represented multi-family starts, a big drop from the 522 multifamily starts in
2010.
In April alone, there were 124 total starts, down 42 per cent from the
213 in April 2010, and there were just 59 multi-family units a 52 per cent drop
from the 123 in April last year.
Archibald said CMHC still expects about
2,000 starts across Victoria in 2011 based on continued levels of in-migration
and the number of projects in the pipeline.
“Like any business, homebuilding
is cyclical but ultimately you will have to build to meet the long-term
demographic demand,” he said noting net in-migration to Victoria last year was
6,000. “As long as people keep moving here we will need housing.”

Pacific Homes a Pinkwood Dealer for BC- Helping to Provide Healthier, Safer Homes for Families

Posted on by Premium Urban Design

Developed by Nascor Ltd and is now combining it with their patented PinkShield™
protective coating to produce PinkJoists™. PinkJoists have the structural
superiority of a traditional I-joist with the added protection of fire, mold and
moisture resistant properties.

The Pink Wood patented technology
addresses several issues that have been issue in the past with building. Their
proprietary non-toxic PinkShield™ is
green friendly and offers a reduced chance to fire starting, mold resistant, and
moisture resistant. PinkShield™ coating encapsulates the wood components and
repels exterior elements that may cause potential warranty issues, making it
safer to use and better for the environment.

www.premiumurbandesign.com

Pinkwood named Best New Product 2011

Posted on by Premium Urban Design

It was announced today that
PinkWood Ltd. was awarded the “Best New Building Product – Canadian” for their
PinkJoist™ product line at the Western Retail Lumber Association (WRLA) 2011
Prairie Showcase in Saskatoon last week. The WRLA Prairie Showcase Buying Show
& Convention is one of the largest shows of its kind in Canada, with 600
booths and over 250 exhibiting companies representing the construction industry
across western Canada.

PinkWood Ltd’s PinkJoists™ are
covered with a unique coating that contains a water repellent, fire retardant,
anti-mold agents and anti-fungal agents. The highly visible Pink colour is a
result of the companies ongoing sponsorship agreement with the Canadian Breast
Cancer Foundation in support of their research to find a cure for breast
cancer. The colour allows home owners to not only see that their house is
protected but also see that they are helping support a great
cause.

“We are very proud to be recognized
as having the best new Canadian building product for 2011,” said Richard
Dettbarn, President and CEO, PinkWood. “It shows that the construction industry
as a whole is excited to have healthier and safer building material options for
their homes and that it is possible for social responsibility to be a central
philosophy for a company in any industry.”

PinkWood Ltd. is a Calgary based
company and is presently distributing PinkJoists™ through lumber retailers and
truss manufacturers throughout Western Canada.

For more information about PinkWood
products, please visit www.pinkwood.ca

About
PinkWood

PinkWood Ltd. is a specialty
building material producer for the home construction industry that provides
unique construction products coated with a non-toxic water-based coating that
resists the growth of mold and rot fungus while providing added fire protection
to homes. The company strongly believes in giving back to the community and
donates a portion of all sales to the Canadian Breast Cancer
Foundation.

Premium Urban Design will become a new Agent for Pacific Building Systems/ Pacific Homes

Posted on by Premium Urban Design

Custom plans are our specialty! Most
Pacific Homes are custom homes that are truly your own creation, although we do
have an extensive list of existing plans to help with ideas. We can alter any
existing plan to meet your specific requirements, or start from square
one.
Each Pacific Home package includes the same quality engineering and
complete set of components, regardless of where the plan comes
from.

Designs by Premium Urban Design
Our mission is to provide top
quality professional service for construction and related activities to a
balanced mix of public and private clients. We are committed to high standards
of client service, staff development, ethical practice and reasonable profit.

Our clients will seek us out for our reputation as a truly integrated
Design firm whose ability to collaborate extends beyond our own walls to embrace
our clients, the entire project team and the surrounding communities.

We
will be recognized for our design excellence, building technology, systems
integration and commitment to sustainability. Our designs will advance the
concept of the unity of people, materials and environment which function as a
greater whole.

We seek to add value through innovation and creativity,
aligning ourselves with our clients’ goals, delivering services that meet their
quality, schedules and cost objectives.Residential Services
Premium
Urban Design offers design services for all types of residential projects. All
service is personal and custom. Services
available include concept designs, design development, construction documents,
architectural interior design, and construction follow up. Only those services
appropriate for a specific project are recommended. This web site has been
designed to explain these services, your options in selecting them, and their
costs.

CUSTOM DESIGNED SOLUTIONS

Custom design services & solutions are not for
everybody. They take desire, time & energy. And they take a lot of
decision-making. If you come to the table with the understanding and the right
attitude, the results are rewarding – for a long time.EXPENSE or
INVESTMENT?
Building projects are big investments both financially and in
terms of quality of life. Good design invests your money intelligently. Consider
this before assuming that the cost of designs and planning is just another
expense. It is not. It is a primary key to the success of the investment.

A “NO SURPRISES” PHILOSOPHY
Visualization is a requirement in custom
designs. It generates confidence and understanding. All designs are executed in
virtual reality by building 3D computer generated “models” of each project
solution.

TEAMWORK

Residential projects are complicated and require active
participation from many resources. To help simplify coordination, we require
structural engineering for the building shell for all projects.Know
more: www.premiumurbandesign.com

NEWS UPDATES FROM PINKWOOD- Fire Rated Wall Sheathing by Pinkwood

Posted on by Premium Urban Design

Fire Rated Wall Sheathing by Pinkwood

Pinkwood is proud to announce
the release of PK FIRE BOARD PLUS, a structural fire rated sheathing.
PK FIRE
BOARD PLUS is a factory coated OSB (oriented strand board) that is specifically
designed to provide an effective barrier against fire. PK FIRE BOARD PLUS not
only meets the requirements of the Alberta Fire Code (5.6.1.2) it also has the
added benefit of mold and moisture resistance.

  • FACTORY COATED
  • THIRD PARTY CERTIFIED
  • COMES IN STANDARD OSB SIZES
  • FOLLOWS STANDARD BUILDING PRACTICES
  • NON-TOXIC
  • ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY
  • FIRE RESISTANT
  • MOISTURE RESISTANT
  • MOLD RESISTANT

When exposed to flames it will
produce a dense layer of protective char which insulates the panel surface and
will significantly reduce the ability of fire to spread while delaying more
extensive burning.
CAN/ULC S102 third party test by Intertek: Pinkwood’s PK
FIRE BOARD PLUS achieved a flame spread of 15 well under the required flame
spread of 25.
Our application process has also been approved by Warnock
Hersey giving us the official seal of approval for our structural fire rated
sheathing.

Intertek’s Warnock Hersey (WH) Mark has long been the
building product industry’s preferred certification mark. The WH Mark can be
found on more than 6,500 products. Having Intertek’s WH Mark on our product
reflects our commitment to product safety, performance and quality to
inspectors, builders and end users. The mark also signifies that our
manufacturing site undergoes periodic follow-up inspections to ensure ongoing
compliance of the originally certified product.

See our dealer
locations for a supplier near you.

PK fireboard plus brochure

Spend More Time On Planning and Design… Spend Less!

Posted on by Premium Urban Design

Good design and planning are key to any successful home building or renovation project. Any extra time spent on the planning will save you in time loss and money throughout the construction phase. After getting a general understanding of the regulations of building it is important to understand your goal. Knowing your “why” will get you through the rough times – and there will be issues with every good plan… no matter what.

When thinking about design you should be thinking about four key elements:

1. Function

Understanding your “Why” purpose of your building project. Knowing your long term goals or short term goals will save your quick update and/or flip? Always consider the project benefits and weather it will serve you financially? Know that there are different ways to achieve the end result. Considering hiring a professional to flush out your wants, needs and ideas.

2. Form

Mass and shape define form. Mass refers to the volume defined by a structure relative to its surroundings. Mass can be controlled by your surroundings, cost and local regulations. Shape is the composition and complexity of the surface planes. Shape can be controlled by cost and the materials proposed.
–
3. Materials

Both exterior and interior building materials should be chosen based on upon their suitability for the building type, durability, impact on the environment, climatic conditions, code, cost, availability, character of the established design.

4. Cost

Do your home work…

Establishing a good budget for securing proper financing will help define that overall design. Solidifying your cost and design will help through your next steps and will give you a clear picture to reaching your overall goal. Know who you are hiring and always get a contract with a competitive quote… this will help support your budget, and minimize changes and hidden expenses. Establishing a time line.

When to get help?

If you have been collecting articles and magazines but don’t know how to put those ideas on paper or if you know little about construction, then search for help from a professional designer. Most clients have problems visualizing 2D drawings, so when working with a professional they can simplify the design for process and give you a better view into your ideas by using 3D. It is always easier and cheaper to change your mind on paper then half way through your building project. Keep in mind that you may also require the assistance of engineers or specialists depending on your local permit requirements or complexity of project.

Note:

As a suggestion – always allow for room in the budget for a professional to ensure that you are covered if and when a change occurs and they do… retain the services of an engineer.

When building remember to

Prepare, Plan, Educate, and Communicate.

Hello world!

Posted on by Premium Urban Design

Welcome to WordPress.com. After you read this, you should delete and write your own post, with a new title above. Or hit Add New on the left (of the admin dashboard) to start a fresh post.

Here are some suggestions for your first post.

  1. You can find new ideas for what to blog about by reading the Daily Post.
  2. Add PressThis to your browser. It creates a new blog post for you about any interesting  page you read on the web.
  3. Make some changes to this page, and then hit preview on the right. You can alway preview any post or edit you before you share it to the world.