O'Hara Contracting

06/17/2024

https://youtu.be/ymvn1sNtlFc
Mere days to go before it's listed...

04/13/2024

A public servicve announcement from me: Do NOT trust your spirit level unleess you verify the thing after every accidental drop. I show you how.

The sad story of an abused spirit level and how to verify if it can be used as intended or relegated to the scrap heap.

03/30/2024

My new YouTube channel, "Plumb Level Square" is up, showcasing carpentry tips and thoughts on work in the trades. Have a look and if you find it interesting, please like and subscribe for more content.

Throw away all those old school carpenter's pencils that your significant other keeps finding in your truck, in your pants, in your lunch pail. The Pica penc...

01/02/2024

Happy New Year to all my past, present and future customers, friends and trades. Let's hope it will be chock full of wonderful opportunities, peace and prosperity.

12/27/2023

Accessible washroom upgrade

This client required an upgrade to allow for various accessibility equipment to use in the shower and toilet. Much time was spent on the design stage of this project. It is very important to delve into all of the details of the space to make sure it functions correctly for the client's ease of access and use. Feel free to browse along with the photos below while you read this renovation story.

We pre-installed all of the grab bars to make sure they were in the correct location for the client. Then solid backing was installed between the studs where the mounting locations were to be. It is necessary to have solid wood backing to ensure an adequate connection. Wall anchors of any sort are a disaster in the making, Grab bars should support twice the weight of the person using them since they may be needed to break a fall.

We installed Kerdi membrane on all of the floor and 40" up the walls of the shower area. We then used Red Guard liquid membrane from 40" up to the ceiling. This system ensures excellent waterproofing to the walls and floors before the tile is laid.

I sloped the floor to allow for adeqaute water drainage while still allowing the commode to roll easily across the tile. We picked anti-slip tile in a 2x2 grid to faciliate this water drainage.

The Riobel hand held shower in combination with the overhanging rain head allowed for full access to the shower features. We even added a tub spout down low to act as a mop bucket filler. Riobel rough-in valves are made from brass and guaranteed for life.

We installed a massive ceiling exhaust fan running at 150cfm (cubic feet per minute) with a 0.2 sones rating making it almost silent but very powerful.

We used 5/8" Fireguard Type 'X' drywall on the ceiling to replace the original 1/2" ceiling. It is important to upgrade any components to current building codes where possible. Areas to consider are 6mil vapour barriers in exterior walls, GFCI receptacles near water fixtures, moisture-proof light fixtures and fireproofing.

All of these features resulted in a highly functional and clean looking space for the client's use. This ease of access and use results in a much improved quality of life for the client and their family and caregivers. It was an absolute pleasure to be able to provide this space for the client.

12/24/2023

Merry Christmas to all.

12/01/2023

Two challenge words: decorative concrete.
Two response words: can do.

11/27/2023

Home winterizing checklist

Given we live in the Lower Mainland, we have a little bit of luxury in that we can address winterizing gradually. The following are a few areas to review prior to the onset of winter (paricularly our kind of rainy and windy winters).

Exterior
-window and door caulking intact
-gutter cleaned and downspouts tested
-roof clear of debris
-shingles intact and free of moss
-soffits and fascias all in place (holes in soffits are open invitations to critters)
-perimeter and storm drainage tested and functioning
-frost free hose bibs
-garden hoses drained
-dryer vents cleared of lint (very important)
-foundation free of cracks
-decks and fences free of rot

Insulation and building enveliope
-ceiling insulation intact and adequate
-bathroom vent and range hood vent ducting insulated in attic space**
-vapour barrier behind electrical device boxes OR gasketed cover plates
-air seal caulking around old window frames and casing, door frames and casing
-door seal gaskets intact (some break down over time or get clawed away by pets)
-window seal gaskets intact
-sliding door rollers operating well (may be in need of lubrication or replacement)
-exterior mounted electrical device boxes sealed to the weather
-crawl space free of sawdust (carpenter ants) and/or holes in siding (mice)

Note that this list is not everything particular to your own house. I run through this list with my property manager clients and strata councils every fall.

**One area of particular concern is uninsulated ducting through a cold attic space. When the warm air from a bath fan heats up the duct in a cold space, condensation occurs and settles on the underside of your roof sheathing plywood. This condensation can quickly turn to mold which can eventually turn to sheathing rot. This can be devastating for want of such a simple fix. Fiberglass duct insulation wraps around your ducting between the ceiling of the bathroom or kitchen and up to where the ducting connects to the roof exhaust boot. Have a look in your cold attic space for uninsulated ducting.

Feel free to contact me if you want to review your property for any of the areas listed here.
Daniel O'Hara
O'Hara Contracting

11/23/2023

Total character home renovation - 1800 block Kitchener St., Vancouver

I worked with the new purchaser to completely gut and refit this 3 storey home in East Van into four rental suites, including a laneway house. A year of hard labour and "discoveries" along the way required upgrading to a demand hot water system for the top floor suite, a new sewer system right out to the City of Vancouver connection. A lot of work that paid of wonderfully for the owner.

Client testimonial
"Since 2002 we have run a Vancouver rental property business with 5 houses and 13 suites. Dan played a critical role as a primary contractor on our 9th major renovation, a $250K project of one of our east side character homes which lasted from August 2008 to May of 2009. Being a 104 year old house, the project faced the most significant challenges in our experience so far, with all kinds of unexpected historical legacy issues. Dan expertly handled the entire job with unwavering professionalism and top notch ex*****on, finding solutions that were creative, cost effective and elegant - often going beyond the call of duty. He interfaced with all aspect of City requirements and overall was instrumental in turning our 'can of worms' into a trophy property that is now our best earner. We strongly recommend him for any design or construction project and look forward to working with him again in future."
Robert C.

11/22/2023

O'Hara Contracting is moving into a niche service area of accessibility renovations.

I work closely with families and individuals in need of anything from property maintenance and minor repairs all the way to installation of accessibility equipment in the home or workplace.

I'm currently building a floor level shower/bathroom/laundry for wheelchair access. There will be no curb to prevent a wheelchair or commode from entering the shower area. More details and photos to follow.

Feel free to contact me with any accessibility concerns. Grab bars, lifts, lighting and non slip flooring surfaces are all so important for functional enjoyment of your home.