Use the form on the right to contact us.
Please fill out this form and we’ll call to set up an appointment. Please note: the response to your inquiry will be handled within 1 to 2 business days (excluding holidays and weekends).
Thanks for your interest and we look forward to talking with you.
Kurt Westergard
T: (403) 923-2996
NW
Calgary, Alberta
(403) 923-2996
Home renovation company and general contractor specializing in full service design-build renovations of residential and commercial buildings and new construction of commercial and residential buildings. Our expertise lies in renovating homes and commercial spaces into well-designed, high quality, energy efficient modern spaces
A Calgary a full-service renovation company and general contractor specializing in design, the turnkey commercial renovations, full home renovations, custom homes and additions. Check out our website for tip and ideas.
Filtering by Tag: Commercial Renovations
Calgary architecture is getting a substantial uplift from several well designed public buildings. In particular, comes to mind StudoBell and the new public library.
These inspiring public buildings successfully bled innovative and exciting design and can serve as an inspiration for other projects around the city.
Read MoreOver the years we became increasingly interested in new building construction, home renovations and retrofits that consume less energy by adopting many "passive" building techniques. The huge benefit of this approach in building construction is a substantial reduction in energy used, exponentially friendlier buildings to the environment and overall healthier living environment for people.
Here is the list of the passive design techniques that will greatly cut the energy consumption and reduce building environmental footprint.
Read More
We have recently completed a professionally designed multi-purpose home theatre room that can also serve as an entertainment room, playroom and family room. To find out more read our post:
Read More
Garages are loaded with an untapped potential and can become more than a space to hide the junk. With relatively small budget, diligent planning and a few simple steps, any garage can be transformed to a very useful and pleasant workshop space that can also add value to your property.
Read MoreSustainability doesn’t have to be a buzzword. By implementing well thought out design strategies in commercial and residential design and construction, we can make very meaningful, earth friendly, and resource efficient improvements that will also contribute to much healthier living environment and more efficient maintenance practices. The greatest sustainability gains can be achieved through well planned design even before the construction begins.
Sustainable design provides authentic, sensual and tactile experience that is grounded in what is real - what we experience through our senses. As such, sustainable design is less focus on abstract, instead it references cultural history, natural world, diversity in colours and textures, simplicity and honesty.
In addition to engaging traditional sustainability tactics such as energy efficiency, daylighting, and the use of healthy materials, the following are key to sustainable design approach:
Here are example of some inspiring projects that adhere to sustainable design principles:
The reception and mountain cafe by Harmony Home Projects
The sustainable design features includes: opening of walls, changes to layout to maximize the use of daylight and to reduce energy consumption, LED lighting, use local materials and natural finishing, to achieve durable, simple, low maintenance and timeless design.
The project received LEED Platinum/Net Zero certification and features high performance air-to-air heat exchangers; photovoltaic panels for electricity; solar thermal panels for hot water; ultra low flow/dual flush fixtures for water conservation; LED lighting; radiant heating; and IPE rain screen siding.
The sustainable features include: open floor plan to maximize natural light, clerestory windows, natural, simple elements, and timeless design.
Sustainability feature: constructing a green roof that you can potentially intercept a major portion of the storm water runoff before it gets to the impervious areas on your site. It also lessens the load on other sustainable systems you may be using, like rain gardens and permeable paving.
Resources and Photo Credits:
Photos: http://www.houzz.com
Sustainable Residential Interiors By Stelmack, Annette
Using natural objects, neutral colours, and simple architectural surrounds is a great way to achieve timeless, serene and eco-friendly design of any interior. This concept is not only applicable in residential, but also commercial renovations of public spaces and in new construction projects.
Read MoreMore and more commercial products are making it into residential homes and are changing the way consumers looking at building new or renovating homes.
Due to a growing number of homeowners working from home, workplace products and technologies are being used in residential construction. Commercial spaces, rental prices, and long commutes, have made working from home more attractive. We recently finished a project building a recording studio in a residential new inner-city home.
Read MoreWhat is about some houses that makes us long to live there while others leave us cold? What is making even some very modern houses warm and inviting yet some other cold and almost sterile-like. Jeremiah Eck, leading residential architect, in his book Distictive Home identifies the four qualities that can turn even the most ordinary house into a charming, warm and memorable home: good siting, well-designed floor, elegant exterior architecture, and details that transmit an enduring sense of warmth and quality.
To achieve this balance, many are turning to the history and tradition of their own for inspiration in "old house" - themes that will inspire and preserve a sense of place and the feeling of "home." Here are some great examples of well designed and renovated older homes that achieved both modern yet charming and timeless appeal:
Resources and Photo Credits:
Photos: http://www.houzz.com
The Distinctive Home: A Vision of Timeless Design Paperback – Bargain Price, April 11, 2006 by Jeremiah Eck
Renovation can be very stressful. It's not like the television shows - they are dirtier, harder and more difficult than any close-up can capture. It doesn't matter if you live in an apartment and need to repaint the kitchen or if you live in a mansion and need to rebuild the entire house, you can just about guarantee that the things you haven't anticipated will go wrong, the budget will blow out and you'll want to shout at someone. Here are some practical tips to get your renovation done well, stress-free, on budget and exactly how you wanted.
In Harmony Home Projects, we believe it is possible to have a stress-free and enjoyable renovation experience. We achieve this by making it our priority to work closely with our clients to ensure they have a great experience working with us.
Here are some practical Tips For Stress-Free Home Renovation Projects:
Take time to plan your renovation project by documenting your ideas, establishing renovation priorities. Find a renovation company/contractor and a designer or ideally a design- build Renovation Company that offers both services.
Working with a renovation company /contractor and a designer develop schematic design (this usually involves a rough layout of the floor plan and some simple views of the interior / exterior) and ideally preliminary material selections. If the project is or the homeowners want additional changes made to the schematics, this initial design phase can take several weeks or or even months.
Once a final schematic design has been completed, the renovation company / contractor will develop a preliminary estimate of cost. If a design / build firm develops the preliminary design the estimating will take less time. To be safe, set aside 10-15 per cent of your budget as a reserve portion to cover any surprises.
Work with a company you trust. Above all, trust is key. Working with a company that you trust and that have a proven track record will reduce your stress level. Because you can’t see the finished product before signing on the dotted line, a great deal of trust is required. It’s also important to know that your contractor will be there throughout the process to help reduce any anxiety you may have.
Keep yourself involved by attending all of the available construction meetings so you can know what to expect during major construction milestones. During the entire process, keep the communication lines open. That’s why at Harmony Home Projects we stay in close contact with our clients every step of the way. This ensures the client’s vision is being created and everything is going smoothly – for everybody involved.
6. Embrace Your Emotions and Relax:
If you feel yourself getting stressed out, find a way to solve any important issues and get rid of stress – for example, talk to your contractor if you aren’t happy with a choice that have been made. Then try to let things go. Take a break – leave the Reno site and do something to de-stress. Remember this is a creative project. Have fun being involved in the process and watching your home get built. It may be a big event to deal with right now, but the result will be your dream home, your vision brought to life.
Harmony Home Project services Calgary and Calgary, surrounding areas. If you’re looking for a design /build renovation company give us a call at (403) 923-2996.
Resources and Photo Credits:
Photos: http://www.houzz.com
The essence of of eco design is efficiency, both in terms of energy and use of resources. The most elegant solutions arise when all the elements of design and construction are properly integrated: in eco design it is how everything works together that really matters. In one sense, eco design is a way of going back to first principles of building. In these styles-conscious times, it is easy to become obsessed with the latest trend and forget that the purpose of a house is to provide shelter.
Read MoreThe most interesting new buildings, commercial and residential, are now almost all build with sustainable principle in mind and are designed to consume far less energy that ever before. This week, we begin a three-part series bringing Design Trends in Contemporary Green Buildings covering four most predominant materials in contemporary architecture: wood, concrete, glass and metal.
Read MoreThe Passive House standard provides the road map to design all kinds of building – commercial, residential, institutional and even high-rise structures – that consume minimal amounts of energy. Read more...
Read More
