When David Chmelnitsky tries to decide which room is his favourite in the beautiful contemporary home he shares with his wife Jenine and daughters Julia and Kate he can’t choose between two enticing spaces. On the ground floor, open from front to back, a wall of glass overlooks trees and greenery. A lower level with a glass railing above is filled with the magic of electronics. The home was renovated and rebuilt in 2015, taking it from the dark of the 1930’s to three levels of ultra cool, stunning light-filled space.
A project by design/build company Weenen General Contracting Limited, it was completed, not just on time and within budget, but with mere weekly meetings by the owners and the team of construction and design personel. “Weenen General Contracting gave us a very detailed 12 or 14 page contract,” David notes. “We decided on this design/build approach, where teamwork means that everyone involved knows what the others are doing and there are no snags.”
Although much of the home is basically new, the original façade remains. “The suggestion by Weenen General to keep it was a great one. It probably saved us about $100,000,” David notes. “It means, among other things, that our home blends with the wonderful character of the neighbourhood!”
And there’s more. When David and Jenine’s kitchen faucet was leaking a week ago, with just one call Dean, the project manager, was there to see what was what, even though the work dates back two years. “That’s really impressive,” David says. “Let’s face it. Paint dries and things settle. To have a company that is still following up years later is excellent! That’s the kind of service a customer is happy to recommend!”
Contributed by Kathy Flaxman
