Shows / The Hammer
The Hammer
The Hammer is your deep dive into the issues and information that drive Canada’s renovation and custom homebuilding contractors. Join Canadian Contractor editor Patrick Flannery as he talks to top experts from inside and outside the industry to generate new insights and ideas for your business. Find new and past episodes online at canadiancontractor.ca or subscribe through your favourite podcasting service.
Episodes
- The Hammer
Episode #82: The New World of Digital Contracting - Josh Noble and Erik Sommerfeld, Meinhaus
Josh Noble and Erik Sommerfeld run Meinhaus, an online contracting business that books over 100 projects per year without either of them meeting a client in…
- The Hammer
Episode #81: Not Your Grandfather's Heat Pump - David Rames, Midea
David Rames, director of technical sales for Midea, joins The Hammer to explain advances in heat pump technology that make them work much better in cold…
- The Hammer
Special Renovation Month Episode: AI Can Do A Lot - Chris Smith, Woodsmith Construction
If you haven't taken a deep dive into the potential for AI in helping your renovation business, this conversation with Chris Smith from Woodsmith Construction…
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Special Renovation Month Episode: Learn to Adaptiv - Dwayne Butler, BILD Renovation Council Chair
RenoMark has declared October Renovation Month and is celebrating with a firestorm of outreach to homeowners educating them about home renovation contracting…
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Episode #79: Battling the Unprofessional - Wendy Moir, HCRA Ontario
In 2021, Ontario's Home Construction Regulatory Authority took over licensing and regulation of new home sellers in the province, leaving Tarion to adjudicate…
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Episode #78: Reduce Complexity to Reduce Carbon - Rockford Boyer, Elastochem
Calculating the embodied carbon of a building is a process of adding up all the inputs. So it follows that the more inputs there are, the more opportunities…
The HammerEpisode #76: Building from the Inside Out: A smarter approach to continuous insulation. Mickel Maalouf, building science manager at Huntsman Building Solutions
With Mickel Maalouf, building science manager at Huntsman Building Solutions Builders and contractors: as energy codes evolve, smarter wall assemblies can help…
The HammerGet More From Your Rental Store Special Episode: Here's what specialty rentals can do for you - Derek Cashmore, Cooper Equipment Rentals
Jobsites are changing, technology is changing and Canadian rental stores are changing along with them. Equipment rental operations are no longer just dingy…
The HammerPodcast Episode #75: The Get More From Your Rental Store panel
When you talk to equipment rental people, you quickly learn there is no group more dedicated to helping you and your projects. As evidence, we present the Get…
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Episode #74: Turning Data Into Profits - Dan Morton, JACK
A long-time contractor in his native Australia, Dan Morton became frustrated with using multiple software tools from multiple vendors, none of which could…
The HammerEpisode #73: AI and cybersecurity - David Mill, Scelta
Much has been said about the promise of AI and its possible threat to jobs. But how might this powerful new technology affect an old concern: your company's…
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Episode #72: Renology - Sarah Caron, CHBA Renovation Services
CHBA is doing more than ever to serve, assist and represent its renovation sector members. Renovation Services director, Sarah Caron, joins The Hammer to talk…
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Episode #71: Going DIGITAL: Amy Vilis, DIGITAL, and John Reid, Faber Technologies
The effort to get our industry to fully embrace the latest technology tools grinds on. Amy Vilis is the director of housing growth innovation at DIGITAL, a…
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Episode #70 - Make It Here, Build It There - Antonio Manchisi, Sapphire Balconies
After decades in the commercial facade business building whole sections of skyscrapers in factories before shipping them to jobsites, Antonio Manchisi of…
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Episode #69: The Alignment Problem - Paul Amato, Tallin Advisory
Paul Amato of Tallinn Advisory brings 20 years' of professional experience advising construction companies to the question of how to get the different parts of…
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Episode #68: Don't Stress Out - Sandra Primiano, Dialogue
Contractors work in a high-stress jobs for sure, where frustration, time pressure, conflict and long hours can grind us down. We view workplace stress as part…
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Episode #67: Let's Talk Skylights - Mark Taylor, Velux
Skylights are a feature that transform an interior space when done right and risk a lifetime of headaches when done wrong. Modern designs have come a long way…
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Episode #66: You Can Make an App – Amanda Spann
Amanda Spann is the author of I Have an App Idea - The Essential Guide to Building an App Without Tech Skills and she has good news for all of us. You don't…
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Episode #65: The New Green Metrics - Kelly Doran, Half Climate Design
Embodied carbon and an increased focus on building resiliency are coming soon to a building code near you. When they do, we're going to need a lot of…
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Episode #64: R is for Resiliency - Duncan Rowe, RJC Engineers
Building resiliency is the hot focus for sustainable building regulators developing the next wave of codes and standards we will all have to follow. Resiliency…
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Episode #63: Now Streaming in B.C. – Bryan Reid, Kindred Construction
Bryan Reid, president of Kindred Construction and Kindred Custom Homes, joins The Hammer to discuss B.C.’s latest attempts to make it easier to build homes. He…
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The Hammer Special Epsiode: Spray Foam, Environmental Impact, Energy Efficiency, and the Future of Healthy Homes
Growing concern over building emissions and occupant health has led experts to re-evaluate how we insulate and protect our homes. Spray foam insulation, once…
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Episode #62: Deposit Not Refundable – Alex Kimmich, BetterBid
In an business where trust is perhaps our most valuable commodity, the ongoing presence of dishonest contractors and outright fraudsters hurts us all. Alex…
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Episode #61: Tech-Resistant Contractors – Jeff Weiss, CMiC
Toronto construction software developer CMiC has commissioned a study examining uptake in Enterprise Resource Planning software in the American construction…
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Episode #60: Much ADU About Something – Joshua Oladehinde, Level Custom Build
As new custom homebuilders working in the Toronto area, Joshua and his partner, Alvaro, were getting more and calls to build outbuildings on existing…
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Episode #59: Keeping the pedal to the metal on training – Kate Bartz, Career Colleges of Ontario
As executive director of Career Colleges of Ontario, Kate Bartz wants us to know that career colleges play a vital role in providing the skilled workforce of…
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Episode #58: Breathing Easy - Mohamed Fouda, Wolseley Canada
Achieving good indoor air quality for our clients is something we probably need to think about more than they do. A homeowner may not give the topic a second…
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Episode #57: Silica Dust is Nasty Stuff – Meghan Friesen
Silica is one of the most common hazards at construction sites. Workers exposed to airborne respirable silica are at an increased risk of developing lung…
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Episode #56: The next hot topic – Robin Urquhart, RDH Building Science
High-profile wildfires doing substantial property damage to urban areas in B.C. and Alberta have spurred NRCan to look at creating Canadian building standards…
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Episode #55: Getting on the Same Page – Arash Shahi, One Ontario
The difficulty, expense and delay in getting projects approved has been identified as one of the big reasons Ontario is nowhere near its homebuilding goals and…
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Episode #54: Goodbye Tipping Fees – Gil Yaron, Light House
Gil Yaron of Light House is spearheading the launch of the Building Materials Exchange on Vancouver Island and Lower Mainland, B.C., with plans to expand. It’s…
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Episode #53: The Costs Must Drop – Richard Lyall, RESCON
Canada, and especially Ontario, faces a housing crisis in which we are building less than half the new homes each year we are expected to need. But even so…
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Episode #52: Step Lightly – Jared Kress and Chris Maskell
Jared Kress of Metropolitan Floors and Chris Maskell of the National Floor Covering Association of Canada join The Hammer to set us straight on the impact…
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Episode #51: Inflation vs Productivity: Steve Johnston, Omnigence
Steve Johnston of Omnigence, a private equity firm investing in the construction sector, has a stark warning. He sees a real risk of long-term stagflation…
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The Hammer Special Episode: It’s Movember – Mitch Hermansen, Movember
Movember is back with an added focus. The popular fundraising drive for men’s health has added support for mental health to its efforts along with prostate and…
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Episode #49 – Upright Slab – Damon Gray, NZ Builders
We had a great conversation with Damon Gray, owner of B.C.’s NZ Builders, about their innovative insulated concrete panels and some of the great things they…
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Episode #48: The Best Laid Plans – Marc Espisito and Jasmine Koblik, Otis Interiors
Espisito and Koblik, the husband and wife owners of Otis Interiors in Guelph, Ont., have discovered a better way of doing business. They leverage their…
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Episode #47: Sustainable Skills – Chad Flinn, Red Deer Polytechnic, and Judi Varga-Toth, CICan
New standards for energy efficiency and low carbon impact in construction are demanding new skills in the trades – skills your young workers might be more…
The HammerThe Hammer Special Episode: What’s New in Ceilings with Jamie Wright, Kenroc Building Materials
Ceiling systems have come a long way from basic white grids and tiles. No longer flat and forgettable, modern ceiling designs enhance aesthetics and can impact…
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The Hammer Episode #46: Doing Politics Through the Building Code – Dave Henderson, RESCON
Dave Henderson, senior technical services manager for the Residential Construction Council of Ontario, is concerned about the increasing complexity of building…
The HammerEpisode #45: What in the NBC? Roofing Edition – Troy Ferreira, CRCA
We continue our series on updates to the National Building Code with Troy Ferreira, technical director for the Canadian Roofing Contractors Association…
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The Hammer Episode #44: Not My Default – Leor Marguiles, Robins Appleby
Leor Marguiles is a partner at commercial real estate firm, Robins Appleby. From there, he watches as larger developers deal with the fallout from high…
The HammerThe Hammer Episode #43: What’s Coming in NBC 2025? – Fenestration edition
Terry Adamson, technical director for Fenestration Canada, joins The Hammer to preview the proposed changes to the National Building Code related to window and…
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Level Up Your Electrical Projects: Motor Best Practices for 2024
Explore our 2024 playbook tailored for electrical contractors seeking a competitive edge. Uncover industry-best practices and stay ahead of the curve.
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The Hammer Episode #42: Aging and apprenticeships – with Vice-Chair Jack Slaughter and Jeremy Ambraska
Vice-Chair Jack Slaughter of the Ontario Labour Relations Board and Jeremy Ambraska, employment and labour lawyer with Sherrard Kuzz (Coos) LLP join this…
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The Hammer Episode #41: Let’s talk support – with Melanie Winter and Lea Valcourt, Support Ontario Youth
Facing a dynamic shift in every facet, the construction industry find itself in need of a revamping when it comes to the future of its workforce. From Support…
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The Hammer Epsiode #41: Cyber-security on site – with Wayne Dorris, Axis Communications
Cyber-attacks in construction are on the rise. Bad actors are finding this an attractive industry to target as they can access data and cause business…
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The Hammer Episode #40: On the rise: heat pumps – with Austin Harvey, ECCO Supply
In the latest edition of The Hammer, we are joined by Austin Harvey, residential territory manager for ECCO Supply, to discuss heat pumps. Harvey touches on…
The HammerThe Hammer Special Episode: Heatlok Soya HP + 2023-2024 Huntsman News Bulletin
There’s a lot going on in the world of green building and spray foam. Jean- François Lupien, the Global Director of Product Management from Huntsman Building…
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The Hammer Episode #39: The importance of apprentices – with Robert Bronk, CEO of the Ontario Construction Secretariat
As labour and employment pressures build in the construction industry with impending retirements and an influx of projects, apprentices are more important now…
The HammerThe Hammer Special Episode: SFA Saniflo then and now– with Phil Warren, SFA Saniflo Canada’s Managing Director and Frédéric Boucher, Plomberie EPF’s President
Phil Warren, SFA Saniflo Canada’s Managing Director and Frédéric Boucher, Plomberie EPF’s President, join this special episode of The Hammer to discuss SFA…
The HammerThe Hammer Special Episode: Western Retail Lumber Association’s Let’s Go Build program – with Liz Kovach
Liz Kovach, President of the Western Retail Lumber Association Inc., joins this special episode of The Hammer to discuss the association’s Let’s GO Build…
The HammerThe Hammer Special Episode: Bridging the gap between the indoor and outdoors with the best door system options – with Russ Miller and Mike Desmarais, JELD-WEN
Join us in this episode as we delve into the world of door systems and explore the various options available to bridge the gap between the indoors and…
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The Hammer Episode #38: Renovating in today’s economy - Owen Thompson and Marilena Tricarico of RenoAssistance
In this edition of The Hammer, editor Kaitlin Secord sits down with Owen Thompson and Marilena Tricarico of Desjardin’s RenoAssistance to discuss their annual…
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The Hammer Episode #37: Enbridge HER+ with Bonny Koabel, Access Rebates
With greener homes on the rise, so is government funding for financial assistance. In this edition of the podcast, Kaitlin Secord, the new editor of Canadian…
The HammerThe Hammer Special Episode: The Best Radon Protection You Can Get – Mickel Maalouf, Huntsman Building Solutions
Mickel Maalouf of Huntsman Building Solutions joins The Hammer to discuss the crackdown on Radon in homes. As many as 3,200 Canadians die from it every year…
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The Hammer Episode #36: Shooting the Data Rapids – Michelle Throssell and Barb Hooley, Turner & Townsend
New concepts are emerging in construction contracts aimed at bringing project owners, contractors and subcontractors closer together as partners rather than…
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The Hammer Episode #35: The application of Insulating Concrete Forms – Brian Corder, BuildBlock Building Systems and the ICFMA
Insulating Concrete Forms (ICFs) have been around for more than 40 years. Essentially used to create a sandwich of concrete between two layers of closed-cell…
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The Hammer Episode #34: Meet The New Guy – Adam Freill, Canadian Contractor editor
It’s a fond farewell to you from Patrick Flannery, editor of the Canadian Contractor B2B channels for the past 2 ½ years. But your magazine and this podcast…
The HammerThe Hammer Special Episode: Durability and sustainability from high-performance air barrier systems
Whether it’s upgrades to an existing building or ensuring high-performing, durable, and passive building development projects, contractors need to consider a…