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    • Season's Greetings!

      December 22, 2023

      We'd like to take this opportunity to wish everyone in the Copper Island Fine Homes family the absolute best of the holiday season! 

      To our amazing and dedicated staff, thank you for your incredible commitment to quality and work ethic -- you're the team that makes us the Shuswap's leading home builder and renovator. And to all of our exceptional sub-trades and suppliers -- we also think of you as members of our team, and we're grateful for your ongoing support and superior craftmanship. And to our valued clients, past and present, you're also members of the Copper Island family -- thank you from the bottom of our hearts for allowing us to build your Shuswap dream.

      While it's been yet another successful and satisfying year for Copper Island Fine Homes, we can't help but reflect on how difficult this year has been with the wildfires and tragic loss of so many of our neighbours' homes. So while we're grateful for what the year has brought us in terms of business, there's also a bittersweet aspect as we take time to reflect on 2023. As we look forward to 2024, we remain committed to playing any role we can to support the rebuilding of our North Shore communities.

      Speaking of the year ahead, we are pleased to see that our phone has been ringing steadily and our order book is filling up quickly. The wildfires, as devastating as they were, did not change what we all collectively know -- that the Shuswap is a wonderful place to call home. If you're wondering if we can help you build your Shuswap dream in 2024 or beyond, please don't hesitate to get in touch as soon as possible.

      Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

      Marcus and Sylvia Picton
      Owners, Copper Island Fine Homes

    • Blind Bay Makeover

      December 16, 2023

      Here at Copper Island Fine Homes, it's not always about new construction. Since inception almost two decades ago, Copper Island Fine Homes has also specialized in whole home renovations, and over the years, we've completed dozens of makeovers, including some that have won Canadian Home Builders Association awards.

      Here's a peek at one of latest renovations projects. It's a complete updating of an older home in Blind Bay. Below you can see a before and after photo, but keep in mind that our work is far from complete on this project and the difference between the original and the finished product will be far more dramatic.

      One excellent feature of this reno is the clients' decision to bring the outdoors in (and vice versa) through the addition of the huge folding/sliding doors onto the deck that you see to the right in the photo below. On sunny days, these doors can be opened up to create a huge access point to the deck. These unique, high quality doors are supplied by Kelowna-based Folding Sliding Doors Canada, which we've worked with on other projects in the past.

      Inside, we're currently in the rough-in stage for electrical and plumbing. In the new year, we'll pivot quickly to get insulation and drywall up. At that point, we'll be working on major kitchen updates, including all new appliances, cabinets, plumbing and lighting. We'll also be installing new flooring in the main living and kitchen area, giving the exterior a facelift, and possibly redoing the expansive deck.

      Our goal is to get our clients, who are enduring the reno in the downstairs portion of the house, back upstairs in their new space by the spring. Our thanks to them for allowing us to rebuild their Shuswap dream!

    • Racing the Snow

      December 09, 2023

      At one of our current projects, a new walk-out rancher in the Highlands subdivision of Shuswap Lake Estates, we're in a race against the winter weather. And we're confident that we're going to win.

      As you can see in the photo below, our framers spent this past week completing the roof sheeting on schedule, and our roofers will be on the job starting Monday. That same day, our windows and exterior doors will arrive and be installed. So with no signicant snow or precipitation in the forecast for the week ahead, we should have no problem getting the home to full lock up. That will provide our plumbing, HVAC and electrical subcontractors with a weather-proof home to begin work on rough-ins.

      The 2,800 square foot home will have superb views of the lake and Copper Island. It certainly has some unique features that will add beauty and interest when complete. For example, it will have a vaulted tray ceiling in the great room to create a feeling of spaciousness. A linear fireplace and distressed wood mantle will make the space even more inviting. 

      Our clients, who have recently relocated back to Canada from Mexico, are staying temporarily in Vancouver until their home is finished in late spring/early summer. This past week, they drove up and made their first site visit. They were impressed with our progress, and can now easily imagine what living in their new home will be like. They also made good use of their site visit to make some final selections about HVAC, plumbing, electrical, and various interior and exterior finishes. As with all of our clients through the years, we're extremely grateful that they chose Copper Island Fine Homes to build their Shuswap dream!

    • Loading Board

      December 02, 2023

      Near Magna Bay, we're making excellent progress at one of our current projects, a beautifully-designed custom West Coast rancher that boasts some amazing features, such as an entire wall of sliding glass doors that open to allow the outdoors inside, and vice versa.

      We've reached a milestone in the build -- all electrical, HVAC and plumbing rough-ins have been completed, insulation has been installed, and the entire home is ready to begin the finishing stage. This past week, our suppliers loaded all the drywall (see photos below), and we've been getting our construction furnaces fired up for boarding and finishing, which kicks off this week and will continue through into the New Year -- regardless of what the winter weather brings us. 

      While our drywall crew gets exclusive access of the warm and locked-up house, our exterior finishers are also moving into high gear. This week, weather permitting, we'll be installing soffit and prepping areas to be stuccoed with a scratch coat. Our masons will also get to work finishing the chimney chase as well.

      Our interior finishers will be on the job early in 2024 once the drywall is completed. This home features a beautifully-designed interior that will showcase a great deal of exciting finishes, including many beams and shiplap, and some gorgeous custom cabinetry and millwork.

      We'll be bringing you more photos of this exciting and innovative project as it moves forward.

    • Fast Foundation!

      November 22, 2023

      One of our current projects, a whole home renovation in Eagle Bay, was a perfect candidate to use one of the building industry’s most intriguing new innovations – helical screw piles.

      As the name suggests, and as you can see in the photos below, helical screw piles are a steel post with a single blade auger bit that are drilled into the soil to provide an extremely fast and efficient way of creating a solid foundation for a building, deck or home extension. Our renovation project was ideal for this technology, as it involves an extension of the main house and an expanded deck. The helical screw piles allowed us to create an incredibly strong base for the new construction without needing to dig, blast or compromise the existing foundation of the structure.

      Our subcontractor for this work was Kevin Parkin of Techno Metal Post Kelowna, the local dealer for Techno Metal Post, a Canadian company based in Quebec. Techno Metal Post produces its own proprietary helical screw piles and the specialized machinery required for installation. Kevin worked with us to carefully design a helical screw piling system that met our requirements for load, soil type and other factors. Once on site, the installation was precisely completed in just one day.

      We couldn’t be happier with the work. With winter bearing down on us, these pilings allow us to immediately move forward with framing construction as we proceed towards lockup stage. Making use of this exciting emerging technology is just another way that we meet our clients’ needs in an ever-changing world.

      For more information, visit www.technometalpost.com/en-CA.

    • Total Transformation in Eagle Bay

      November 07, 2023

      Whole home renovations have always been an important part of our business, and with a new project just getting underway in Eagle Bay, we’re carrying on that tradition.

      Our clients have long enjoyed their older, modestly-sized bungalow and the beautiful property it sits on, but now want to completely renew and enlarge the home so that it better meets their needs.

      The renovation involves a complete renewal and enlargement of the main floor, along with an exterior makeover of the home. Our clients enlisted the services of Santha Design, based in Okotoks, Alberta, to create a plan for the work.

      In order to expand the living space to just under 1,200 square feet, we’ll be converting the parking bay/carport area into an addition that will accommodate the enlarged kitchen and a new mud/laundry room. The home currently sits on a well-built crawlspace, which we’ll extend to support the new addition.

      Roughly half of the existing roof will be torn down and rebuit to create a spacious vaulted ceiling. We’ll also be adding several small bump outs to create extra living space at the front and rear. As for outdoor living space, we’ll construct a covered patio area for BBQ at the rear, and the deck at the front will be significantly enlarged with extra storage space created.

      The whole look will be updated inside and outside with a much more modern design and a great deal of custom cabinetry.

      Check out the images below. At the top left is a photo of what the home currently looks like. To the right is a 3D design rendering of what our clients envision. And at the bottom is the front elevation plan as created by Santha Design.

      Simply put, we love renovation projects like this. They are challenging but very rewarding when they begin to come together – and when the owners are absolutely overjoyed when they see the finished product. Our thanks to our clients for entrusting us with this project. Check back for more photos in the months ahead. And if you’ve got an existing home in the Shuswap that you’d like to bring up to modern standards, please don’t hesitate to contact us!

    • Shuswap Wildfire: Rebuilding Update

      October 21, 2023

      We continue to field a large number of calls and inquiries from North Shuswap property owners about rebuilding after this summer’s intense and catastrophic wildfire. Given this, and so that we can better assist those who have been impacted by the fire, we continue to take an active roll in our local government’s responses and plans for rebuilding in the area.

      Last week, along with other local contractors, we attended a meeting with the Columbia Shuswap Regional District (CSRD) for an update about the current situation. The meeting was chaired by Gerald Christie, Manager of Development Services; Marty Herbert, Team Leader of Building Inspection; and Corey Paiement, Team Leader of Planning Services.

      Here’s what we learned. Currently, a moratorium on building permits remains in place for alert areas within the wildfire. There are a number of steps that have to be taken before this moratorium is lifted. The most important of these is a geohazard study being conducted by BGC Engineering. This study, which was needed to establish the slide safety of affected areas, was due to be completed by October the 14th and would then be reviewed by the CSRD. The CSRD informed us that they intend to release this report imminently, and that it should confirm that the vast majority of the alert areas are safe and can be removed from the moratorium. The report will include mapping to show how wildfire-affected areas have been classified. While it’s expected that many affected lots will get the green light, the classification for some lots may require further reports or engineering mitigation.

      So for the moment, it’s a bit of a waiting game. We don't yet know exactly what this will all look, but the good news is that we’re very close to a step being completed that should bring clarity on how you, as an affected property owner looking to rebuild, can proceed from here. The CSRD has also set up dedicated staff to deal with the re-building process and indicated they will prioritize properties which have been burnt down.

      Meanwhile, if you're not sure where to go for more information, here are some links:

      CSRD website: www.csrd.bc.ca

      Recover Shuswap website: www.recovershuswap.ca

      Once again, we urge anyone who is planning on rebuilding to do as much research and preliminary work as possible to avoid delays once moratoriums are lifted. We’re completely up to speed on many, if not all, requirements for rebuilding, along with building practices that will minimize future wildfire threats, and we’d be pleased to answer any questions and help you with your rebuilding plans. Please don’t hesitate to contact us.

    • Digging the Highlands

      October 14, 2023

      Our new Shuswap Lake Estates Highlands project is moving forward with momentum.

      The foundation for this new walkout rancher, which we're building for two clients who are relocating back to Canada from Mexico, will be poured this coming week. As you can see in the photos below, our foundation and framing sub-contractor for this project, Madera Construction, has finalized the forming for the concrete. As well, the groundwork was expertly completed by one of our go-to contractors, Traxx Excavating out of Sorrento. We're pushing forward in the hopes that we can lock up the home prior to any serious winter weather coming our way. 

      The 2,800 square foot home will feature stunning views of Copper Island and the Shuswap Lake. Our clients are excited to see it coming together, and have been doing their part by working hard at making their selections for their new home. Experience tells us that this is one of the most stressful times for clients, as there are so many decisions to make -- from type of HVAC system to have installed, to exterior finishing materials and colours, selection of flooring, cabinets, plumbing and electrical fixtures, and so much more. Fortunately, we have created and established many systems and tools to help clients with these decisions, allowing this process to be streamlined as much as possible.

      Please check back in the weeks ahead as we moved forward into framing, roofing, window and door installation, and more. Once again, our thanks to our crews for their hard work, and our clients for entrusting Copper Island Fine Homes with building their Shuswap dream.

    • Moving Forward on the North Shore

      October 07, 2023

      We're pleased to be working again in the fire-ravaged North Shuswap. This beautiful home in Anglemont is located in an area that was spared from the intense wildfires of this past summer. We started construction before the fires, but obviously work had to be halted as the tragedy unfolded. We're relieved to be back on the job, pushing forward as we try to make up for lost time. This stunning home is now officially at lock-up stage, with roof complete, and windows and exterior doors now installed.

      One outstanding feature of this home is how it incorporates folding/sliding windows and doors at one end to create the feeling of a huge outdoor living room. In nice weather, the doors and windows are opened up to create a huge access point to the outdoors. And in poor weather, the doors and windows are folded in so that the same space quickly becomes dry, secure and warm. Providing these windows and doors is a Kelowna-based company, Folding Sliding Doors Canada. This company, which we've really enjoyed working with, has developed amazing, high-quality, made-in-Canada products that can span openings of up to 15 meters.

      We're now moving forward with the mechanical rough-in stage, with both plumbing and HVAC sub-contractors currently on the job. Electrical rough-in will start in the weeks, and our goal is to be snugly insulated for mid November, at which point our drywall and painting sub-contractors can confidently get started.

      Look for more details and photos in the weeks ahead.

    • Highlands Handover

      September 22, 2023

      Like everyone else in our beautiful corner of British Columbia, we've been hugely concerned and distracted by this summer's incredible and catastrophic wildfire situation. Regardless, we have obligations and commitments to our valued clients, and so we've carried on construction to the best of our abilities while trying to maintain safety for our employees and sub-trades.

      Recently, we completed and handed off a stunning new home to its new owners in the Highlands subdivision of Shuswap Lake Estates. This beautiful home features approximately 1,500 square feet of finished living space on each of its two levels, and the rear garage offers 600 additional space for vehicles and other storage.

      As you can see, the owners' excellent tastes figure prominently in the new home, with a bold blue HardiPlank siding and natural wood exterior, and select matching blue highlights throughout the home. The finished product is absolutely beautiful. As always, we're so grateful to the owners for allowing us to build their Shuswap dream, and additional thanks to our hardworking staff and trades for their efforts and attention to detail.