ward-winning builder integrates environmental measures into his own Jenish-designed home.

One of the finest new houses in Red Deer, Alberta, is a fitting reward for a lifetime of hard work and home building for a former British Columbia farmboy.

“I am a modest person,” said Edward Klop, founder and president of Klop Construction Management & Consulting Ltd., “but coming home makes me feel good, real good. I’m grateful to have had the opportunity to build such a wonderful home”

Klop’s dream home began with Jenish House Design plan 4-3-589. An award-winning home builder, Klop spent considerable time modifying and adding environmentally-aware changes to the design. He then asked Sal Uribe, a designer at the Jenish headquarters in Surrey, B.C, to make the dream design a reality.

The expansive house plan originally caused Red Deer plan checkers to pause. They requested that Klop receive approvals from his neighbours for a home that would have a roofline towering at least three feet higher than others in the upscale community. Approvals were also requested for the 10-foot high walkout basement.

These approvals were quickly given, and construction began in December of 2006.
One of the reasons for the neighbor’s enthusiastic welcome may have been Klop’s reputation for quality construction – he has captured many awards of excellence and was named the builder of the best multi-family community by the Central Alberta Home Builders’ Association – and his emphasis on completing a model of environmental construction

“I really wanted to have a home without a guilty conscience of being a glutton on energy,” Klop said. This required careful selection of not only natural colors and materials, but the choice of electrical, mechanical, flooring and window products.

Klop chose high-performance, Low-E windows with an impressive R-value; opted for bamboo hardwood flooring, a quickly renewable product; and specified a NTI on-demand heating system, which warms most of the house.

He also installed two furnaces that are zoned for different floor levels, and are equipped with programmable thermostats.

The electrical system is made up primarily of efficient low-voltage lighting. “Every attempt was made to keep utilities costs as low as possible without compromising on comfort,” Klop said.

The emphasis on “green” may harken back to Kolp’s farming childhood. Born in 1966 as one of nine children, Kolp worked on the family’s Agassiz farm before embarking on a successful career as a top B.C real estate agent and Alberta new home developer and builder.

Kolp plans on living in his new home for a while. However he has indicated he will begin planning his next fabulous Jenish home soon, perhaps in your neighborhood. 
You can find Edwards home located at 132 Isbister Close in Red Deer.

enish house plan  proved a classical fit for Burnaby family

Clara Gordic first saw Jenish house plan 7-4-892 on the beach at Skaha Lake in the Okanagan, as she leafed through a Jenish House Design magazine searching for ideas for her family’s dream home.

“It appeared perfect,” she said of the two storey, full basement plan.

Today the nearly 4,000 square foot house in Burnaby is, after some minor modifications, a spacious home to the Gordic family – and a finalist for the best new house of its size in British Columbia in the annual Georgie Awards.

Clara and Mitch Gordic had already purchased a 66-foot by 140-foot view lot and were looking for the right plan for their first new house for themselves and four children aged 11 to 20.

Plan 7-4-892 fit the lot, and the active family’s requirements for plenty of space within a classical architectural style.

After the family had worked with the Jenish office in Surrey on some slight changes to the plan, the Gordics entrusted Advent Construction Ltd. of Coquitlam, an experienced home builder, with the contract to build the home.

One of the two attached garages was turned into a guest bedroom, and the main stairway in the house was altered. As well, the laundry room was moved to a new mudroom on the main level, and a laundry chute was added to a closet on the second level.

Upstairs, the former laundry room became an ensuite for one of the three children’s bedrooms.

The entire basement was finished, with a theatre-style family room and entertainment space, including surround-sound speakers set right into the walls. The house is also equipped with a whole house intercom and security package.

Jenish designer Sal Uribe, who the Gordic praised for adding input which allowed their changes to match the overall plan perfectly, handled the modifications.

Inside, the Gordics chose engineered dark Maple hardwood flooring for the den, bedrooms, and had infloor hot water radiant heating installed. A high-efficiency gas fireplace was also added, as was an air conditioning system and a built-in central vacuum. 
 “We use all the space.”

Dramatic Limestone tiles in large 18-inch by 18-inch format, were chosen for the entire main living area and the kitchen floors.

Kitchen countertops are finished in dark granite, offset with stainless steel appliances and full-height Tuscan-style Maple cabinets, reflecting a theme of traditional, durable materials in a classic style. 

Some of the modifications helped retain a traditional look to the exterior.  These included the removal of a skylight that was in the original plan, and the elimination of a second floor balcony. Also, the Gordics opted to have the entire exterior sheathed in stone. The roof, with its trio of peaks and valleys, was finished in long-wearing Duroid shingles.
The entire lot has now been landscaped, under Clara’s careful eye, and it includes a winding walkway, rear yard fencing and a multi-level lawn served with an inground irrigation system.

“The kids love this house,” Clara said, “we use all of the space and the plan is very functional and attractive.”

Construction of the home went very smoothly, with work starting in June of last year. When complete, Advent Construction and Jenish House Design entered the house in the annual Georgie Awards competition, sponsored by the Canadian Home Builders’ Association of British Columbia. The Gordic house was chosen as a finalist in the competitive category of “Best Single Family Detached Home 3,000 - 3,999 Square Feet.” The final Gold Georgie Awards will be presented on February 9 in Vancouver.

ancouver Island oceanfront site perfect for Jenish plan 6-5-302.

A unique waterfront enclave on Vancouver Island proved an ideal environment for this edition’s cover featureX of a Jenish designed home.

“The owner had been looking for the right waterfront property for more than 10 years,” explains Bill Reynolds of Dover Bay Construction of Nanaimo, who’s father Gary Reynolds, known and respected for his attention to detail with meticulous care, took the Jenish Design to completion.

“As soon as he saw this property he knew it was the location.”

It is indeed an inspired choice. Studded with majestic 100-year-old Arbutus trees and framed by 180 degrees of ocean vistas, the waterfront acreage was deemed perfect for a vacation and retirement home from Jenish Design plan 6-5-302, carefully modified by Kevin Krastel of Krastel Design Group Ltd. of Nanaimo.

The original Jenish Design covered 3,322 square feet on two levels (see plan, page 135).
Krastel’s modifications are precisely designed for the client’s tastes and the advantageous location with its ocean and forest views. One of the interesting changes was the inclusion of a window-lined art gallery that runs 36 feet along the rear of the house, next to the 44-foot long rear deck.

Natural site respected

The entire house was placed on the original footprint of an old cottage/beach house and great care was taken to protect the natural and historic landscape. An old tennis court was transformed into a bocce court with cedar pergola, decking and seating. Even old rope swings and the original flagpole have been refurbished.

The entire property was landscaped to retain as many of the original trees and plantings as possible. The driveway and parking area are crushed stone. The pathways that radiate from the house to the beach and the Island forests are in crushed stone and flagstones.
Wildlife is so abundant – from whales and sea lions offshore to eagles and gentle deer that have made the acreage home – that the front door is a actually a Dutch door that allows the owners to feed deer by hand.

In all, including the new art gallery, garage and loft space, the final floor plan measures 4,181 square feet.

Notes Bill Reynolds: “I was taught long ago that you never change a piece of property to suit a house. You create a house to suit the property.”
It is a lesson apparently well learned.

hen Jack and Brenda Lavalle moved from Terrace to purchase acreage in Mission, British Columbia, they began looking for an ideal home plan.
“I remembered being impressed by Jenish Home plans many years earlier,” Brenda recalls, “the plans are very livable.”

Closets at each entry door and washrooms just steps from the backdoor, she noted, are the kind of Jenish touches that are handy not only for those with children but for adults coming and going from the garden or garage.

“It means not having to traipse through the house in muddy boots to get to the powder room,” she explained.

After looking at various Jenish designs, Jack and Brenda settled on plan 6-3-353, a one-and-half-storey design with a master bedroom on the main floor and two smaller bedrooms on the second level. The original floor plan totals 2,253 square feet, with the option of a full basement. Introduced three years ago, 6-3-353 has become one of the most popular larger homes in the Jenish catalogue.

“This plan offers many unusual features that set it apart from the norm, such as the curves that repeat themselves in the form of the top living room window, the den window and the curved wall in the foyer/powder room,” Brenda noted.

A meeting with designer David Lim of Jenish House Design’s head office led to structural modifications, both for personal taste and to fit the home on the large rural property.

The Lavalle’s added a basement, enlarged the den on the main floor, increased the size of the attached garage and added a stairway link to the garage and basement. They also added a wrap-around deck, with an entry off the kitchen, at the rear of the house.
During construction, done by Deko Contracting, other changes were made, primarily modifying the roof trusses to accommodate extra living space in the loft attic and above the garage.

The Lavalle’s said that all the contractors found the Jenish plan easy to work with, and the end result has created a stately country home that, despite the modifications, appears unchanged from the original plan. It has also attracted a lot of local attention.

“Our house continues to slow traffic on our quiet rural street,” Brenda said.

FEATURE HOME RESOURCE LIST
Design: Jenish House Design Ltd., Surrey, BC
Modifications: Jenish House Design Ltd., Surrey, BC
Contractor: Deko Contracting, Mission, BC
Tiles: Tiles For Less, Surrey, BC & Town & Country Floor Design, Abbotsford, BC
Carpet: End of The Roll, Abbotsford, BC
Light Fixtures: Rona Inc.
Kitchen and Bath Cabinets: Kitchen Craft, Langley, BC
Appliances: Jenn Aire, from Trail Appliances, Vancouver, BC
Plumbing Fixtures: Hillcrest Plumbing, Surrey, BC
Granite Countertop: PK Granite, Port Coquitlam, BC

ith literally thousands of standard house plans to choose from, the selection of a retirement dream home plan can be a daunting task. For Taira and Yoshiko Uyeyama, the task was made easier, as several acquaintances had previously chosen Jenish-designed homes. When they saw the new design (#7-4-895) on display in the Jenish showroom in New Westminster, not only did it become the one to which all others were compared, but it became ‘THE ONE’!!

For more than 30 years, the Uyeyamas frequently drove from Vancouver to Surrey to visit the five acre, fully treed vacant rural property they had purchased where they hoped to build their dream home one day.

That day finally came in the Spring of 2003 when the newly retired couple enlisted the help of their niece, Sandy, to find a design and plan for their new home. While the dramatic entrance archway and extensive stonework on the exterior of the new Jenish design initially pleased the Uyeyamas, they were delighted with the main floor layout. It had all main living areas on the ground floor, including the master bedroom. After raising three children in a split - level home in Vancouver, the fewer stairs Yoshiko had to climb now, the better!

Sandy had recently contracted with Doug King Construction Ltd., to build her new home. The project went so well, she enlisted Doug’s firm to build her Aunt and Uncle’s home as well. After settling on the exterior and the floor plan, the Uyeyamas invited their children to assist with interior finishing details and the color scheme. They also decided to have a wall removed at the top of the stairway that changed the third bedroom into a larger media/games room. Other changes included adding a wet bar to the sitting room on the main floor and enlarging the entrance leading to the formal dining room. The required changes meant little modification time with Jenish designer David Lim. (Similar changes could be made to plan# 7-3-893, the three bedroom version of the same design.)

Another consideration was whether the open plan foyer, great room, and kitchen-nook would work for a couple that had previously lived in a house with more separation. The nine-foot ceilings (both floors) further enhanced the spaciousness of the plan. As it turned out, this informal living space has become Taira and Yoshiko’s favorite area. Most of their meals are taken at the kitchen bar, which surrounds the island containing the Jenn-Aire range. The cozy great room with its half wall has become the perfect place to display a large model sailing ship crafted by Yoshiko’s father.

The Uyeyamas selected exterior finishing materials to maximize “curb appeal” and limit maintenance.

Taira Uyeyama ably completed the landscaping in keeping with his professional gardening background.

The overall result has satisfied all of the Uyeyama’s needs (and dreams) for their early retirement years!

or Kevin and Tracy Potter of Salmon Arm, British Columbia, the discovery of the Jenish House Designs plan for their new house was a mix of technology and serendipity.

“We had originally selected a different plan that we knew we would have to modify,” Kevin said, “but then Tracy found the Jenish design on the Web.”

Tracy recalls her excitement when she clicked on the Jenish web page (www.jenish.com) and the ‘home plan of the week’ popped up. “I knew instantly that it was exactly what we were looking for,” she said.

What the Potters wanted was a spacious, full-basement, two-storey house for themselves and their two daughters, Jennifer and Kaitlin. It required three bedrooms upstairs, a front porch and covered rear deck, plus space for a large family room. The house would also need the street appeal to blend into the upscale Hillcrest community where the Potters had purchased a large level lot.

Jenish House Plan 7-3-842 fitted their needs perfectly.

The design, a Jenish classic that was originally drafted eight years ago, features newly 1100 square feet on the main floor, 900 feet upstairs and a full basement. “Finished living space is 3,000 square feet,” Kevin said.

After choosing the design the Potters worked with the Jenish representative Goertzen Residential Design Inc. in Vernon on the final blueprints.

“The plan was so perfect that we virtually didn’t change a thing,” said Kevin, “it’s perfect for us.” In fact the only modification to the plan was extending the double garage by two feet. Interior finishing added custom touches, such as the faux rock fireplace and chimney and built-in maple cabinets, completed by local craftsman.

Construction started in August and the Potters moved into their new house within four months.

The Potters acted as their own general contractors. Tracy, an accountant, handled all the budgeting for construction of the house. She credits Jenish designers for making this side of the job easier. “The plan went together beautifully,” she said.

Kevin, a golf course superintendent, personally took care of the landscaping, including selecting Shuswap Lake driftwood as a feature on the front lawn.

Once the house was complete it proved a traffic-stopper in Salmon Arm. “We had people knocking on our door asking about the plan,” Kevin said, “most thought it was a custom design. They were incredulous when we told them it was a stock Jenish house plan.”

The Potters plan to stay in this house at least until 12 year old Kaitlin moves on. “But if we ever build again, we will definitely choose another Jenish design,” Kevin said. Tracy admits she is already surfing the Jenish website. “I really like their Ranchers,” she said.

enish is a family affair with us Lisa explained, “Both my mother and father and my eldest brother have had houses built from Jenish Home Plans.”

Still, the couple, nearing their forties, had definite ideas on what they wanted in a new Jenish house for themselves and their two children, Kyle and Emily. Joe wanted space for a workshop, wine cellar, and workout room with a low-maintenance country-estate style home. Lisa was seeking a family room and a playroom for the kids, plus a large kitchen and nook area and a generous-sized master bedroom with ensuite.

In short, they wanted space. More space in fact than Jenish House Plan 7-5-831 provided. The popular plan calls for a total of 2,805 square feet for the two-level, non-basement house, with 1,501 square feet on the main floor and 1,304 square feet upstairs.

“We pushed the plan out both sideways and lengthways,” Lisa said, “and we ended up with around 5,300 square feet.”

“The look of a country estate”

The modifications to the Jenish plan were completed through a series of meetings with Jenish designer Ignacio Lara-Faure.

The changes were fairly straight forward, Lara-Faure said. They included modifications to the double-garage to create a large games room. The Maggios also extended the garage, making it a triple garage, and added a rear-deck veranda off the master bedroom.

Both Lisa and Joe were on hand every day as construction progressed, checking and re-checking details. Work started in July of 2000 and was completed by the following June.

Joe, who worked graveyards during the home building, not only oversaw construction, but also did some of the finishing work himself, installing crown moldings in the recessed ceilings. The Maggios had previously extensively renovated two separate homes, so they were no strangers to residential construction.

Joe was delighted to put his carpentry skills to use, while Lisa took a direct hand in design details of their new home. “Lisa has a fine eye for detail.” noted Lara-Faure.

One change the Maggios requested was an expansion of the downstairs powder room, which now included a bidet. The reason, Lisa explained is to make the floor plan more flexible. “In the future, part of the downstairs could be adapted to a private suite.”

The house was pre-wired to allow for future additions of a gated entrance to the property and a potential swimming pool.

The Maggios both wanted a feeling of permanence with their new house and did not flinch when opting for ultra-level materials. Most of the floors are gleaming hardwood, with Italian porcelain tiles used in the kitchen, bathrooms, and main floor hallways. The kitchen countertops are solid granite and the stainless steel appliance package involved high-end models of leading brand names. Heating and air-conditioning is provided by a high-efficiency, three-zoned, gas-fired, forced-air furnace, with a custom-installed duct system that includes extra ducting through the four-foot high crawlspace.

The house is wired with an advanced security package, satellite-TV dish and built-in speakers for surround sound. A large screen TV is wired into the expansive, high-ceiling family room.

Joe worked personally on the sealing and insulating of the concrete foundations, which is completely coated with water-resistant material, insulated with fiberglass blankets and poly-sealed.

The impression of rock-solid permanence in a country estate is captured in the choice of the stone chosen for the entire exterior. The Maggios opted for ‘Shouldice Designer Stone’ from Fraser Valley Brick, not only for aesthetics but also for its low maintenance.

The roof material - concrete tile that gave a split shake appearance to accent the extensive rooflines - was selected just as carefully from Columbia Concrete Products Ltd.

The extensive landscaping includes a lighted water feature with waterfall in the rear yard and careful tree planting and retention of large trees, designed by the Maggios and meant to frame the house on its set-back acre.

The final result was very pleasing to the whole family, the Maggios say. “We would love the opportunity to build again in the future, “Joe stated, “without a doubt we would be choosing another plan from Jenish.”

t was six time lucky for the Munroe family of British Columbia when they came across Jenish house design plan 7-4-846.

“This is our final home,” said Eva Munroe as she guided a visitor through her new 5,000 square foot, two-storey, and four-bedroom house, designed by Jenish designer Ian Kelshaw. It is the fifth home the Munroes have owned - and, they say, the last.

The Munroes are not your average new home consumers. How many other consumers, after all, could dig their own foundations while confidently drafting changes to an existing house plan?

Eva and Mike Munroe, owners of Felix Bulldozing Ltd., Surrey, BC, however, have many years of experience in home construction and they recognized the potential of the Jenish floor plan immediately. “It was what we had been seeking for six months,” Eva said.

Jenish Plan 7-4-846 is a total of 2,424 square foot, with 1,320 on the main floor and 1,104 square feet on the second level. The Monroes included the optional basement with the plan, adding a further 1,300 square feet.

With modifications, the main floor now includes a family room, den, kitchen with large eating area, a formal dining room and living room. There is also a triple garage and a large laundry room. A sweeping stairway leads upstairs to the master bedroom and the three other bedrooms. The home has a total of three bathrooms, including a downstairs powder room with shower and the master ensuite up.

The exterior of the house is finished in brick, from IXL Brick Supplies Ltd., and V-Tech Ash vinyl siding from Owens Corning, all capped with a locally supplied cedar shake roof.

The Munroes had specific ideas the final exterior should look and, after drafting changes to the original floor plan, they had Jenish designers complete the modifications.

The result: A totally custom Jenish home plan that added about 1,100 square feet- and the family's personal and colorful touches. “The Jenish original plan and the designers were excellent to work with,” Eva said “it all went very smoothly.”

The aggressive alterations included the addition of four feet to the rear of the house and a further four feet to the entire length of one side.

The Munroes extended the master bedroom and ensuite, adding a natural gas fireplace. The rear deck of the house was moved from the original plan, where it was accessed from the dining room, to flow from the kitchen as a recreational and summer dining area. The dining room now has large glass double doors leading into the kitchen eating area. The entire space can therefore be opened up for large gatherings. The large living room has soaring vaulted ceilings and the second gas fireplace.

Other changes included adding a ladder-accessed attic storage space in the peaked roof above the triple garage, and placing a separate egress to the garage.

The personal custom alterations were not structural, however, but aesthetic. Eva opted for dramatic wall coverings with vibrant paint combinations - think grape with bold black and white - and, she admits, “Really did Abbey's room.” Abbey, the Munroes five-year old, now has a fun and very personal bedroom where bears frolic across the walls and custom built bed.

After receiving the final modifications from Jenish dealer Kelshaw Design Associates, in Aldergrove, BC, Mike began to excavate the foundation of the 64-foot frontage lot in April. Acting as their own general contractors, the Munroes completed the house seven months later.

Tucked into an established community in Langely, Jenish Plan 7-4-846 is now a personally finished one-of-kind home for a one-of-a kind family.