Desired Effect
Energy-efficient home renovation boosts comfort and contentment
There is no denying Ken Stadt and his wife Sandie have a special attachment to their 1,375-squarefoot bungalow in Avonmore.
Ken was a forestry student at the University of Alberta in the 1990s when he rented a room in the home. Sandie, who was a regular visitor, fell under its spell, so when they were offered the chance to purchase it as a married couple in 2004, they happily took on its ownership.
Despite loving the little house’s character and history — its first incarnation was as a 1945 farmhouse on the outskirts of Edmonton — their growing family yearned for a larger, functional kitchen and more than one bathroom, including a bathtub to accommodate their tall physiques.
They considered moving but didn’t want to give up their neighbourhood, which features Mill Creek Ravine Park sunsets and easy bike and bus commutes to work and school.
“We love the area and would have had a hard time giving up our yard,” says Ken, adding when they looked at homes in the area within their price range, they would either be renovating or living with somebody else’s renovation.
They considered demolishing the house, which was moved to its current location in 1963. But its foundation was still sound, and the quaint bungalow had a hold on their hearts.
“It has a good personality, and is a happy house,” Sandie says. “It just needed reorganization of the space.”
The couple connected with Effect Home Builders and architect Tai Ziola, whom they describe as “visionary” because she retained the bungalow’s character while rejigging it to suit a 21st-century lifestyle.
The family is thrilled with the result, which Sandie describes as an efficient space “that doesn’t feel crowded like it used to,” and perfect for socializing with family and friends.
“It’s like having a new house,” says Ken, adding solidly built features like its original gables and basement are still intact.
Another major goal was to reduce the home’s carbon footprint and high cost of heating. The pair were enchanted when Ken’s sisterin-law suggested high-efficiency heating via a Tulikivi wood-burning masonry stove from Finland.
The stove has a soapstone hearth that radiates soothing heat to the stone seating that surrounds it. The setting offers the perfect perch for warming up on a winter’s day. The family also has fun experimenting with cooking pizza and other delights in the small oven above its hearth. The easy-to-clean, lowemission stove requires minimal wood, and is designed to reduce any chance of chimney fires.
Builder Les Wold says the living room’s focal point is so hefty, it required its own foundation. The stove, combined with the home’s new roof, sweater of insulation, and both heat recovery and water on demand systems, have helped increase the home’s energy efficiency by 300 per cent.
To help offset costs, the family took advantage of the provincial government’s home improvement energy efficiency rebate of $6,000. Ken says further savings came with reduced home insurance premiums because of the scope of the renovation, which included the plumbing.
Triple-glazed arts and craft style windows and interior glass doors add charm and soundproofing, while casting natural light into every nook of the home, including the family office. This is where 11-year-old Adam enjoys screen time after school at the adjustable, standing Ikea desk that accommodates everyone’s height.
Sandie says family members never collide or compete for space around the spacious central kitchen’s U-shaped, multi-level countertop. Inviting chrome stools encourage gathering and sharing in food preparation. Handsome cherrywood cupboards stretch to the ceiling. Sandie proudly displays a large, organized drawer dedicated to spices. Matching wooden closets lining the rear hallway accommodate a large pantry, along with linen and cleaning supplies.
The home’s third bedroom was sacrificed to create the pantry, master bedroom’s walk-in closet, and another favourite oasis — the spa-like, ensuite bathroom with its long soaker tub, rectangular slate surround, and heated flooring.
The same heated tiling lines the spacious front foyer for coziness underfoot. The pair chose to replace the home’s hardwood flooring with child and pet-friendly yet luxurious vinyl, plank flooring, which Ken describes as “indestructible.”
The Stadt family has nothing but praise for the team at Effect Builders, who consulted them every step of the way and completed the work both on time and on budget.
The Stadts also have bragging rights to Edmonton’s first Mike Holmes-approved home renovation. Like the building guru’s new home program, it ensures high quality and durable construction practices, along with a final inspection by the Holmes team.
The family plans to enjoy that peace of mind and their “new” home for the next decade or two. Despite keeping it small (they did consider adding a second storey) they are confident about recouping their investment.
“Someone liked it so much they offered to buy it mid-renovation,” Ken says with a smile.
“We think people will tire of cleaning a big home, and come to value a smaller home with a good layout. It’s also a good layout to age-in-place should we stay that long.”