The Construction Life

Thank you Mat for being on the show and opening the show with a little ACDC. Mat works for a large rental corporation and due to some legal logistics, we must keep the name out of the show. There are times where I want to interview certain big-name brands, but it’s takes months if not years to get approvals and instead of waiting and jumping through hoops, we record a show and still share valuable information. We also discuss a bunch of other construction details on this show, such as working in Norway, where Mat is from and we get it all sorts of other topics during the show, we let the conversation go where it goes.

Mat share a lot about building in Norway and other European countries and we compare to North American building. We discuss techniques on both sides of the pond and why we feel over here we don’t try to step up our game and embrace new ideas from others around the world. We even discuss what is truly happening with the younger generation and why today it’s so different for that segment of the population, when speaking about driving habits on the roadway…Please Please for the love understand the left lane is the passing lane, no matter what speed you are driving, move to the right and make the flow of traffic move, not brake.

Mat shares different machinery, do’s and don’ts, maintenance, pick up and drop offs, repairs and more. Mat also shares his secrets on building relationships, he understands what it is to be that tradesperson placing that order for much needed gear and all the attached obstacles, he is one of us and he never forgets that.

Shared and Discussed Links

https://www.diablotools.com/explore/saw-blades

And Diablo Blades and Accessories are manufactured in Italy

https://www.hilti.ca

https://www.bobcat.com/index

https://www.genielift.com

What an amazing show thank you so much Mat for sharing so much about big construction toys and educating our listeners. Thank you

Find Manny @hardcorerenos [email protected] [email protected]

Stay tuned, HUGE ANNOUCEMENT happening in October 2021

Want to reach out to Manny, text him on his mobile, 416 433-5737 and or email him at [email protected] or [email protected] Please let him know who you are and then ask away.

TCL has and always will be about giving back to the construction industry.

Reach out to Joe and Trevor at the following info. www.venturesxcanada.ca find them on Social Media @venturesxoakville reach them at 289 644-2393 and email [email protected]

We have a great show, talking about insulation, all types of insulation, batts, cellulose, closed cell, open cell and sound proofing. James walks us through his first year running his own business and the last 9 years working with his dad who has been insulating for 35 plus years, how the batts have changed.

James discusses different types of insulations and applications, and he knows his building code. We go from old 2x4 walls of the 80’s and 90’s to R24 of today to spray foam, proper spray foam and attic insulating. There is a lot of skill and building code understanding when it comes to proper insulating, it’s not as easy as others might think and always remember, a good insulator has a good grasp on building code because as James mentions, they are the last trade before things get covered up, that means inspectors will take longer to assess.

We have a great conversation about crews, where to work, how far to travel, why is there so much work outside of the core and the standards that James has built his business on. James discusses working in Canada’s capital, Ottawa and how it’s different there than any other major city.

Shared and Discussed Links

https://www.owenscorning.com/en-ca/insulation

https://huntsmanbuildingsolutions.com/en-US/products/closed-cell-insulation?utm_source=demilec.com&utm_medium=redirect&utm_campaign=products/closed-cell-insulation

https://grizzlygoldspf.com

https://www.watsonbuildingsupplies.com

What an amazing show thank you so much James for sharing so much about insulation, batts, soundproofing, sprayfoam and cellulose and educating our listeners. Thank you. Contact James at [email protected] and at IG @jm_insul

Find Manny @hardcorerenos [email protected] [email protected]

Stay tuned, HUGE ANNOUCEMENT happening in October 2021

Want to reach out to Manny, text him on his mobile, 416 433-5737 and or email him at [email protected] or [email protected] Please let him know who you are and then ask away.

TCL has and always will be about giving back to the construction industry.

What an amazing show we have today, we are going to talk about solid wood furniture making with Oliver the current Business Manager and owner and Mark the original owner who recently retired and has passed on the business over to the digital age. Sit back and enjoy what these gentlemen have to share because Woodcraft began by someone who really didn’t know about furniture making but he had a passion for it, then it was passed onto another person who also didn’t have the skills for furniture design and making but had a passion for it.

Mark was lucky to have a neighbor who taught at York University and Mark was invited into the shop and that eventually led to working on children’s climbers. One day Mark’s neighbor decided to leave on a trip and left Mark the barn and shop, that led to an opportunity to build an executive desk for a high-profile TD Bank employee and that was the beginning. Mark and Oliver have learned over the years and have adapted to the industry designing and building pieces that people truly love and want. They have had orders to reproduce Putin’s desk, with all the gold leaf, they ship orders all over the world with custom made packaging for every piece.

These products are solid wood, so many different types of species and they offer 16 different types of stains, pretty much the creative gates are wide open, and they will design and build what you want, perfectly. They offer a white glove service when it comes to installs, if that’s local here in the GTA or abroad where they will outsource the right service people to finalize the purchase. Woodcraft has built a strong family driven business and it carries on that way nearly 50 years later.

Shared and Discussed Links

https://www.senecawoodworking.com

http://www.oliverlumber.com

What an amazing show thank you so much Oliver and Mark for sharing so much about furniture design and making over the last 40 plus years and educating our listeners. Thank you. Contact Woodcradft at [email protected] and online at www.woodcraft.ca on IG @woodcraft.ca and the phone number is 905 475-2488

Find Manny @hardcorerenos [email protected] [email protected]

Stay tuned, HUGE ANNOUCEMENT happening in October 2021

Want to reach out to Manny, text him on his mobile, 416 433-5737 and or email him at [email protected] or [email protected] Please let him know who you are and then ask away.

TCL has and always will be about giving back to the construction industry.

10 years in the business currently working as Supervisor Sales of Operations, Marco actually went to school, worked at a bank, that didn’t last and went right back into construction, specifically concrete where his uncles taught him so much, he has concrete in his blood so a year into the banking industry he was back to learning the ropes, being yelled at, understanding different mixes, scheduling and so much more, in no time he was part of the concrete family.

With 5 plants and over 100 trucks ready to go in the greater Toronto area, ORM has your next pour ready to go. With so many factors when it comes to the time the trucks load up, travel to site, to pouring and then back to the plant for another batch, there is so many fast-moving parts to this industry. Heat charges in the winter, ice bags for the hot summer, lab testing, site testing, there is so much that goes on before, during and after concrete is a part of your project.

Concrete is the 2nd most consumable product right behind water, believe that it is true. Marco brings up Superplasticizers (SP's), also known as high range water reducers, are additives used in making high strength concrete. Plasticizers are chemical compounds that enable the production of concrete with approximately 15% less water content. Superplasticizers allow reduction in water content by 30% or more.

Marco discusses some new things that are going on in the concrete industry beginning with Carbon Capture, what and interesting chat.

Shared and Discussed links

https://www.ashgrove.com

https://crhcanada.com/en/

https://www.torpedodrumcleaning.ca/readyjet

https://www.carboncure.com

What an amazing show thank you so much Marco for sharing so much on your world, and educating our listeners on everything to do with concrete industry. Thank you. Find him on IG @torontoconcrete and contact him at [email protected] website https://www.ontarioredimix.com and to order your next batch of concrete call 1 855-225-5676

Find Manny @hardcorerenos [email protected] [email protected]

Stay tuned, HUGE ANNOUCEMENT happening in October 2021

Want to reach out to Manny, text him on his mobile, 416 433-5737 and or email him at [email protected] or [email protected] Please let him know who you are and then ask away.

TCL has and always will be about giving back to the construction industry.

Roland Skuce and Dan Ray partners in Caledon Timber Frames for nearly a decade with 5 employees and still growing. They have known each other since grade 2, worked as stick framers for Roland’s Dad, a custom builder, and his dad was a plumber so the guys were familiar with the trades. They both attended Fanshawe College and studied Construction Engineering, with a focus in Carpentry Techniques, from there they took an intense 3-month timber framing course at College of the Rockies and all this education started the process to build Caledon Timber Frames.

The timber comes from BC and Oregon, it arrives all 4 sides dressed and very green, no kiln drying for these pieces of lumber, and they are very square and ready for shaping. Timber framing gets secured to traditional poured or block or slab on grade foundation, anchored to load and brought down to the footings but the first floor is usually TJI joists. From checking and cracking to sealing Roland walks the listeners through the entire process of a timber frame and the size they can make it.

Roland walks the listeners through all the power and hand tools and the reasons behind them all. Quite the investment when working with material as thick as 11.5”. These tools assist with the skilled tradesperson to achieve a tolerance of a 32nd of an inch, those joints will be tight. Roland shares little details on preparing the timber for finishing materials such as drywall, flooring, paneling and more depending on the client.

We discuss the future and there are some companies that are offering CNC timber framing, is it the same? Not sure. I feel you lose a lot of the hand skills by going the CNC route. Roland shares working with other species of wood such as cedar and oak, with oak being used quite a lot in the UK.

Shared and Discussed Links

https://www.fanshawec.ca

https://cotr.bc.ca

https://www.waddelleng.com

https://buildersontario.com/structural-insulated-panels-sips

https://cutekstain.com

https://www.tfguild.org

https://bensonwood.com/our-company/

What an amazing show thank you so much Roland for sharing so much on a Saturday morning in the shop and educating our listeners. Thank you. Contact him at [email protected] and online at www.caledontimberframes.comon IG @caledon_timberframes

Find Manny @hardcorerenos [email protected] [email protected]

Stay tuned, HUGE ANNOUCEMENT happening in October 2021

Want to reach out to Manny, text him on his mobile, 416 433-5737 and or email him at [email protected] or [email protected] Please let him know who you are and then ask away.

TCL has and always will be about giving back to the construction industry.

Scott is a mortgage broker and entrepreneur; he has a lot to share regarding the misunderstood industry of lending. We begin the show discussing building business relationships the old school way, a phone call, a meeting, speaking in person and getting a better understanding of the client’s needs. Scott is here to discuss how to finance a recreational property, a cottage, a piece of land, construction, development, luxury real estate, and more, his team loves the challenge, and they will make it happen for you.

With 4 main business verticals, residential, alternative, private capital and commercial, these key niche details are what sets The Westlake Team apart from others. Scott has been one to get a better understanding of clients’ needs years from now, what’s the uncertainty going to possibly look and plan for that renewal, renewals are a great opportunity to save more money, the lack of liquidity and lack of savings is a conversation that must happen and happen early.

I ask Scott about the younger buyer, the 25-year old’s and he discusses how he doesn’t look at age, he looks at maturity and how he can help them achieve their goals. Business for self is the trickiest demographic for lending purposes but there are ways to make a self-employed tradesperson look great on paper, Scott shares a few thoughts on the programs that allow you to file minimum income and still qualify for mortgages, it really is about how to present yourself, if not, it could be declined.

Scott is open and honest about how to position yourself for an approval and having good credit is top, don’t be afraid to pull your credit report and find out what it is like, because they will find out regardless. Organization is key and most tradespeople are not the best at organizing so connect the person who organizes your business and personal paperwork with Scott, connect him to your partner, your son or daughter, your accountant, no matter but the connection is key to get you the best options on the table.

What an amazing show thank you so much Scott for sharing so much mortgage honesty on the show and revealing the whole truth about lending, educating our listeners. Thank you. Contact him [email protected] and online at www.thewestlaketeam.com and www.scottwestlake.com

Find Manny @hardcorerenos [email protected] [email protected]

Stay tuned, HUGE ANNOUCEMENT happening in October 2021

Want to reach out to Manny, text him on his mobile, 416 433-5737 and or email him at [email protected] or [email protected] Please let him know who you are and then ask away.

TCL has and always will be about giving back to the construction industry.

Reach out to Joe and Trevor at the following info. www.venturesxcanada.ca find them on Social Media @venturesxoakville reach them at 289 644-2393 and email [email protected]

We have quite the show today, Andrew Padre Cura and Jalen Lam will be sharing the whole electrical truth, trades, and the industry, might want to buckle in for this one. Two Conestoga graduates under the Electrical Technician Program, nothing but praise about the school. Andrew opens the show with an interesting story with every perfect storm possible, wiring mistakes, ministry of labour arriving on site, unsafe work site and no PPE.

5 mins early, makes you 10 mins late, arrive on site and ready to go on time, all the time. The guys discuss their career paths and how it always starts with subdivision and high rise and how nobody cares because it’s gets it done fast, not right mentality, aka “running shoe electrics” leading to a racoon being stuck inside the wall cavity. Andrew shares a few stories that will make your stomach twists, use caution when hearing this part of the show.

We discuss the rates and how covid has now made rates higher on all levels and rightfully so. Andrew and Jalen share more than a few safety stories and how things really are, not for the faint at heart. We need to lighten up the show as all this reality check takes a toll, so I ask the guys, are you the guys hanging all the light fixtures at home and for friends and family?

We discuss schooling, on site, expectations, and even debating going all the way to get your master license and the stigma attached. Andrew shares an interesting story about HGTV and one of their current renoactors, must listen and when you do and we don’t divulge which one it was, but I already knew, reach out and I will share the name. The guys wrap up the show with some great pieces of advice for any new trades coming up and it all starts with listening and ask questions. One very last thought to consider, where will electrical industry be in 10 years, the guys talk about consumption.

Shared and Discussed links

https://www.conestogac.on.ca

https://www.gerrie.com

https://www.se.com/ca/en/

https://www.canadabreakers.ca/collections/federal-pioneer

https://www.hilti.ca

https://www.kleintools.com/content/where-buy-canada

https://www-de.wera.de/en/

What an amazing show thank you so much Andrew and Jalen for sharing so much honesty on the show and revealing the whole truth, educating our listeners on everything to do with the electrical trade and more. Thank you. Find them on IG @andcura @lalenjam and @azoresconstruction_ca contact him [email protected] Website www.azoresconstruction.ca

Find Manny @hardcorerenos [email protected] [email protected]

TCL has and always will be about giving back to the construction industry.

Reach out to Joe and Trevor at the following info. www.venturesxcanada.ca find them on Social Media @venturesxoakville reach them at 289 644-2393 and email [email protected]

Aadil from WorknWear is on the show today, since 1975 they have been outfitting tradespeople and more with the proper work wear, safety wear, fire rated wear, long underwear, and more. I have a huge amount of respect for Aadil and his staff and how they treat everyone that enters the shop, buys online, the same way, with respect because Aadil knows you work hard as a tradesperson.

Aadil shares his insight on which products and why are they good for your specific trade and application, he has no loyalty to one brand or another, he listens to the tradesperson and makes his suggestion. We discuss all types of work wear, washing work wear, fire safe work wear and insoles for your footwear, great tips are shared here. Watch for @stotthavcsystems as they shop at his store all the time, AKA the HVAC Ninjas when they are wearing all Snickers, all black.

Tradespeople need to understand spending money on the proper work wear makes sense, as a tradesperson, you are in these clothes, wearing these boots, for 8-10 hours a day, stop telling yourself, “It’s just work wear” it’s more than work wear. Your work wear makes you money, if you are not comfortable you can’t work to your full potential.

We discuss being a small business during these difficult pandemic times and how expenses have gone up but most Mom and Pop shops can’t raise their prices. We wrap up the show discussing, are tradespeople getting bigger?

Shared and Discussed links

https://www.snickersworkwear.com

https://www.blaklader.ca/en

https://www.carhartt.com/c/workwear

https://toughduck.com/apparel/

http://www.vikingwear.com

https://en.grisport.ca

https://royer.com

https://www.timberland.ca/shop/mens-boots-en-ca

https://www.baffin.com

https://www.kodiakboots.com

What an amazing show thank you so much Aadil for sharing so much on your work wear world, and educating our listeners on everything to do with well-respected business. Thank you. Find him on IG @worknwear1975 FaceBook its WorknWear and contact him at [email protected] Website www.worknwear.ca

To place an order call 905 940-WORK (9675)

Find Manny @hardcorerenos [email protected] [email protected]

Stay tuned, HUGE ANNOUCEMENT happening in October 2021

Want to reach out to Manny, text him on his mobile, 416 433-5737 and or email him at [email protected] or [email protected] Please let him know who you are and then ask away.

TCL has and always will be about giving back to the construction industry.

Today’s show is all about high rise maintenance with Chris Clarry of Hardwork Canada, Chris goes where most of us will never, fixing things that should never have failed, but they do because erecting high-rise structures is all about how fast, not how good. Chris is truly a forensic contractor, sourcing out why buildings are failing, assessing things, and then making the proper repairs one time.

Coming from a troubled youth and even getting into drugs, Chris was able to pull himself out that world with the help of key people. After his treatment it was construction that saved his life, renting a place with a landlord that worked in high-rise, he showed Chris how to lay brick, operate a zoom boom, and Chris’s construction career began. Working with engineers as they create a binder and scope of work and specs to make the repair and sometimes, he must do it all on his own based on the property maintenance budget, Chris enjoys the problem solving.

Chris discusses crack repairs, membrane applications, concrete surface preparation and more, there are so many key steps during the entire process, he shares a great trade tip to discover if there are any voids in the concrete, a must listen for sure. Chris shares his insights on the job site safety with the gear and traveling to the top of buildings and work at the top of buildings even shares a story about a neighboring crane that collided with a swing stage causing some major issues on the building Chris was working on.

As a side hustle Chris has been doing a lot of research into blockchain and crypto currency and I asked him to share some info on it. We don’t dive too deep into it but we do discuss some talking points and this topic is something I would like to revisit on a future show.

Shared and Discussed links

https://renascent.ca

http://edisonengineers.ca

https://www.tremcosealants.com/fileshare/literature/PUMA_Technology_Brochure.pdf

https://poocoin.app

What an amazing show full of truthful insight, I thank you so much Chris for sharing so much on your trade, high rise, construction and more, educating our listeners on everything to do with your version of the construction life. Thank you. Find him on IG @hardworkcanada and @xcelconstruction and contact him at [email protected]

Find Manny @hardcorerenos [email protected] [email protected]

Stay tuned, HUGE ANNOUCEMENT happening in October 2021

Want to reach out to Manny, text him on his mobile, 416 433-5737 and or email him at [email protected] or [email protected] Please let him know who you are and then ask away.

TCL has and always will be about giving back to the construction industry.

Reach out to Joe and Trevor at the following info. www.venturesxcanada.ca find them on Social Media @venturesxoakville reach them at 289 644-2393 and email [email protected]

Coming from a broken home with a single mom raising him and his brother, life was hard for his family and when he found fitness it became his escape. Training begins with body types, which of the 3 are you? Ectomorph, Mesomorph, Endomorph, focus on your body type to begin with. At 21 with the help of his wrestling coach, Dimitri was able to compete in his first show and he won. From there he worked in fitness clubs, good and bad ones, mostly bad ones, he saw where they could improve and how to improve. With the guidance of a mentor, Dimitri left the corporate life, and he took a chance and went on his own and built Pure Motivation Fitness, that was 15 years ago.

Dimitri discusses customizing your fitness goals to your body type and truly understand why he is going to suggest eating habits, exercise techniques, weight training to suit your body. Dimitri wants to be your coach; everyone needs a coach to make sure you are held accountable to your health and fitness goals. 3 Key principles, Mindset, Training and Nutrition last.

Dimitri isn’t here to preach, he’s here to help you change your life for the better, loosing body fat adds years of extra life. It’s simply about taking bad habits and placing good habits in front of it, that is how you slowly change your day-to-day events, such as smoking. Accept, Acknowledge and Advance, 3 counts of accountability. Tim Lyons once taught Dimitri, “embrace the suck” Covid happened, and he had to embrace the suck to get over it.

Dimitri shares some great insight into the medical industry and how to handle your doctor, your injuries, and avoiding pharmaceutical assistance. Here in Canada, we have the right to ask for a 2nd or 3rd and we have the right to ask for ultrasounds, x-rays and MRI’s, we need to see what the problem is so we can figure out the best course of action because a pill may not always be best option for you. Dimitri pulls out the calculator and shows you how you can calculate the potential to have a heart attack or stroke based on your current state of resting heart rate, this will open you eyes wide. Dimitri has done an amazing job motivating, educating and empowering people and now it’s time for Tradespeople to take back their lives.

Shared and Discussed links

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Herbert_Sheldon

https://www.synviscone.ca/clinics/dr-anthony-(tony)-galea-ism-health-wellness-centre?i=17&culture=en

https://www.poliquinstore.com/articles

https://www.wimhofmethod.com/breathing-exercises

Check out his app on Apple and Android

What an amazing show full of truth, pain, fitness, health, exercises and more, I thank you so much Dimitri for sharing so much on your life for our construction lives, educating our listeners on everything to do with your body, mind and soul. Thank you. Find him on IG @puremotivationalfitness and @dimitrigiankonlas and contact him for your next exercise booking at [email protected] and his website is www.puremotivationalfitness.com and find his YouTube channel at Pure Motivational Fitness where he shows you key details to live a happy, healthy construction life.