Some Examples of our Work:
Bathrooms
Small Spaces don't have to Feel Small
Often times we;re stuck with a bathroom that leaves uis feeling claustrophobic. This is especially the case in older homes. Let’s face it, when our grandparents build homes the bathroom was more of a utilitarian space than one of relaxation and comfort.
Fast-forward to the 21st century and home owners are getting creative with these old outdated spaces. Simple things like you see here such as wainscoting and crown moldings can really give a space the feeling that it’s more grand than it actually is. In this project south of
Ottawa we had to remove the window for an extension that we planned to build the following season.
Bathrooms today are spaces we don’t just use when mother nature beckons but also for relaxation, rejuvenation and often just a little “me” time.
At Mentor Homes we know that customers want a bathroom they can enjoy and that’s why we take extra care to pay very close attention to details.
What Were They Thinking?
Another common observation in our industry is that odd bathroom that makes you cringe when you open the door… and not for your usual reasons.
This 1970’s throwback was exactly that. It’s almost difficult to look at when you consider the deep contrast between purples and the odd division of space.
What was most alarming about this space is that it wasn’t in fact built in the 70, if you look closely that sink is a dead give away. The new home owners were dumbfounded when we told them this remodel took place sometime in the late 90’s.
in any case there was no question that the space needed to be changed.
The adjacent master bedroom needed an extra foot of space for the new closet and we decided to borrow that foot from the bathroom. By knocking out the partition wall with the archway the bathroom would only be loosing about 7″ of actual space.
As you can see from the after picture this client has a flare for the modern. We can’t take credit for the design, she chose every element on her own (though we might boast that we did help get some great prices on materials from our suppliers).
Basements
More to Consider than Design
Basements can be a home owners worst nightmare sometimes. We’ve encountered a number of new home owners who didn’t do their due diligence when getting a home inspected before purchase.
Basements are one reason a home inspection is well worth its investment.
Building technology today is literally light years away from where it was in the 50’s, 60’s and 70’s. But if you look around Ottawa, you’ll see there are a lot of homes build in those decades.
this home in Westborough was not the worst we had seen but it did require some significant upgrades for moisture control and insulation.
The home was only about 15 years old but build by a developer who isn’t around anymore, and after this Ottawa renovation, it’s not hard to see why.
The final product isn’t just a new space the whole family can enjoy but an energy and health upgrade for the whole house.
Ottawa Basement Renovations 101
I’m still young enough to hold an optimistic outlook on even the most daunting basement renovation project but old-school contractors in the Ottawa-Gatineau region share some head spinning tales that can make even the most light hearted greenhorn raise a brow.
This project in Rockliffe Park Ottawa was my first taste of how basement renovations can be the most rewarding yet challenging projects we undertake as contractors.
It seemed at every phase of the renovation a new issue would arise, eating away at the budget.
Pricing a job for contingencies can be a tricky. My business needs to turn a profit but I also don’t want to loose a good client by pricing the project too high.
This project turned out great and it was an excellent entrepreneurial lesson. Older homes often require a little more love and care.
The final product was reward enough itself as it boasted high ceilings, wainscoting and the latest moisture resistant flooring technology on the market: realistic hardwood-looking vinyl flooring.
