Meet Paulo: The Mind Behind Our Renovation Designs in Fort Saskatchewan
Introducing Paulo at Fort Sask Reno
Lead Designer and Project Manager
Hi there. Welcome back to our YouTube channel. You’ve got Jim with Fort Sask Reno and I’m Paulo, the lead designer of Fort Sask Reno.
Lead designer and project manager as well. Yeah, for sure. Thanks for coming out today, Paulo.
Oh, you’re welcome. It’s been a pleasure.
Yeah. Yeah.
Yes, sir.
This is our first time on camera in the studio here.
It’s my first time. Yeah.
You’ve shown up in some of our shorts and some of the videos for sure. People probably know you from the job sites and those videos as well, but it’s our first chance to sit and have a chat here.
Yeah, sure. Sure.
So, just a quick introduction for Paulo. He’s been with our company about three and a half years and previous to this, what were you doing?
I’ve been a licensed architect in the Philippines for over 14 years there.
Yeah.
And I also own my own construction pair, construction and architectural pair.
Yep.
I’m also doing houses, designs, houses, commercials in the Philippines. And I’m also a consultant there in the Philippines, sir.
Yeah. Yep. Yeah. For sure. Paulo, actually your family was my neighbor from right across the street. Funny little story, but such a coincidence. just happened to you’d only been in Canada just for a short period.
Almost four years and I’m working in your company for more than three years.
Yeah. Yeah. It was a real stroke of luck that we ended up crossing paths. You’ve been an amazing addition to our company.
Thank you. It’s my pleasure actually working with you.
Yeah, it’s been really good. It’s actually boosted our business quite a bit to have the highly skilled Paulo working with us.
Thank you, sir.
Yeah. Tell us a little bit about some of the projects that you would work on in the Philippines.
Yeah, in the Philippines. Usually I’m doing a house houses there because I really love designing houses because it’s some sort of like a custom thing for designer that you’re making a a space functionable for houses and of course for the client and also I’m doing commercial space there sir like a hotels casino yeah and yeah sir that’s my experience and as a consultant there I’m also designing like a restaurant sir and in the government I used to design like this one of my proudly proud design there is I design a a rehabilitation center in the Philippines sir okay for a thousand beds sir wow yeah sir it’s one of my design there that’s I really really yeah proud up to say sir but yeah and yeah mostly I I’m doing residential because after I do the design as an architect there, I’m also building building the houses in the Philippines. But there’s a big adjustment when I came here in Canada because of the materials itself.
Yeah. Yeah.
I need to adjust everything because in the Philippines, the main materials there are concrete, right? Concrete and rebars or steel.
Yeah. Yeah, sir.
Yeah, for sure. Mhm.
Designing Renovations From Concept to Renderings
How Fort Sask Reno Brings Ideas to Life
So, and now you’re with Fort Sask Reno. Tell us a little bit about your day-to-day activity and some of the work that you do and particularly enjoy doing.
my main job in your company as a designer of course is creating space a beautiful design and space for your clients. I’m also doing project management after we do the design and everything is all set up. I do the project management and also Tom. Yeah, we manage the project to ensure that we’re on schedule. Not just on schedule, of course, the budget itself because usually we’re doing cost plus per interiors. That’s why we have to be super efficient with everything, right?
Yes, sir.
Oh, for sure. Your skill set on the computer is excellent. Like we weren’t able to offer those things. We could do a little bit on the exterior with the hover program and that but now you can really bring some designs to life. You can talk about that a little bit. What’s the process on
Actually my process in designing my first step is of course going to on-site to check everything getting measurements of course all the requirements of the client of course and then providing material selection to the client and after that one I will proceed on designing designing the for example like a bathroom sir and after I will do designing like and also providing them like schematic design first.
Yeah.
After having a schematic design, I’m also doing the estimate part of the project, ensuring that we’re on budget with everything, sir.
Mhm.
And then create renderings, right?
Yeah. And present it to the client, sir.
Yeah.
That’s and the programs you’re using for those.
I usually use in detail prints or blueprints, I’m using AutoCAD for that one. And then for 3D, I use SketchUp. And for renderings, there’s a lot of rendering materials that I use, but I love using landscape.
Yeah.
And I’m also using Lumion.
Yeah.
For rendering and also animation for presentation for our clients, right?
Yeah. They’re amazing. Some of the work that you’ve done and if you look on our website and on our social media, we always are happy to show off your skills there.
Yeah. The client is like, “Oh, is this the real photo of my, for example, bathroom or or the interior space?” No, that is just rendering.
Yeah. Yeah.
A lot of people Yeah. Were happy with the rendering, sir, because at least they have the idea what will happen with our renovation, sir.
Yeah. Then let’s get into this luxury bathroom. We have a specific example, project T we could talk about.
And so for this bathroom, it was a home. We completed that renovation on that bathroom this summer over the summer time. This summer we went out there in the springtime. We had a request coming in. There were two bathrooms they wanted to convert into actually they wanted to keep them separate.
There was Yeah, sir. four piece bathroom on the main hallway.
Actually, it’s a bathroom renovation. Basically, the client wants to upgrade their two u two bathrooms on the main floor. one main bathroom and of course the end suite and yep they already have sketches and measurements. What I did there is before going to the project I tried to do some initial scheme for them.
Mhm.
But when I visit the project the space is really not enough for their requirements because they have a lot of requests for that bathroom. they want to have a specifically like a soaker tub. They want to have a big shower area and of course the double sink basin, right?
And looking at the space, of course, it would not fit. Basically, everything they wanted.
They wanted to take the fourpiece and turn it into a two-piece just so for the guest bathroom and then it was back to back with the original bathroom which was a two-piece on suite. So, they wanted to have the more spa-like bathroom for themselves and just a kind of a guest bathroom. They wanted to add, you know, a freestanding tub and a separate shower.
Yes, sir.
in for their on suite and realistically yeah I told them that the space is not enough for your requirements that’s why my proposal is to create a one big bathroom for you having to access in the ma master bedroom and of course in the the common space like the hallway sir yeah at least they could use them and there’s some sort of privacy because before before advising it to the client of I assess their their situation there. If ever they’re just of course a husband and wife and just a daughter, the privacy will not be you know is an issue for that one. That’s why I advised them in order for us to create a much better space here, a functionable space. I told them to let’s make a one big bathroom and for sure all your requirements will be there, right?
And the client agree with me and she have a lot of like ideas from from Pinterest.
Yeah.
yeah, it helps me a lot. Of course, I know what they want for their bathroom. There the client is showing me this contemporary concept design from Pinterest and she wants a shade of blue in that specific bathroom, right? That’s why in my mind, oh, I believe you will love like a Greek style interior.
Okay, that’s why okay that’s one idea that I come up with and after that I got all the measurement and now back to work like in my drawing boards right now and then yep starting to sketch and my my main concept is like a Greek design bedroom because she wants a shade of blue and she want it to be natural because a contemporary concept usually it’s like neutral colors and then having an accent wall there like a feature wall.
Yeah, that’s why I integrated everything to them create a proposal while estimating the budget because I’m also giving them some options for materials sir.
Okay.
Yep. That’s why ensuring that we’re still in budget because it’s easy to design but of course to take consideration of the budget as well sir.
Right.
Yeah. So, yep. I created that one and presented to them the design and I was so lucky. No revision.
They accepted your first idea.
Yeah, my first schematic design because a good thing about having a 3D design, they could actually see the space and I could edit it while they’re following. Please remove this one. I could easily edit it and then that’s it. Yeah.
And come up with the final product and then boom, render it. And yeah. So, that’s we’re able to do quite a few views for them that we’ve got the images for there. The before picture the before construction drawings, the after and once that was approved, then you move into the next phase which is some of the renderings that you did and then you were able to show multiple views as well. So, you can really see the entire bathroom.
Yeah. Actually, you could see the final product of the bathroom by having that renderings and also that 3D sir. Yeah, you could easily. Yep. The client was really in love with the design and of course the concept itself because Yep. The client p first word in his mouth, I really love it, Paulo. No revision. That’s it. Let’s do it.
And yeah, I was so happy and lucky. I guess they love the design. And yeah.
Yeah. And it’s one of my favorites since I It really came out nicely. Actually the client because of because of in that contemporary design the client wants to have a shade of blue with that with that bathroom I recommended having a dark color for the vanity it’s a double sink panty I believe it’s about if I’m not mistaken it’s about 60in vanity or more than and yep to accentuate the space I use a shiplap and a much darker tone with that one that’s why yep it accentuate the space having that beautiful mirrors there as well like because it’s usually our client really loves this like black finishing for their you know textures and faucets but I told them let’s do like chrome here.
Yeah.
Yep. And then it really really accentuates the space having a chrome frame mirror.
Yeah. And some of the finishing there like the vanity light itself, there’s a touch of chrome and copper and even the showers.
Mhm. Yep. Shower taps. Mhm.
And yeah. And mainly we use that 60-in vanity, the blue 60-in vanity. And then we also have this freestanding tub, right? And also we have this. We usually use this marble looking tiles from Carrera with a touch of a little bit of gold and chrome on the bane of that marble sir.
Yeah.
That’s why everything is so balanced with the design. Having a chrome accent for some of the mirrors, faucets, everything, sir. And then having a touch of chrome as well in the marble finish wall tiles here.
It’s quite unique. It really came out special.
Yes, sir.
Yeah, definitely. And the tile you said, is that a tail and stone source?
Yeah, we usually use tiles and stone source for of course sourcing our tiles there because they have a wide variety of products there. Also, the professionalism of the people there is really superb. I love one of the guys working there is Kobe. I really love working with that guy because Yep. usually they have this wide variety of selection. As a designer, I really love picking stuff there.
Yeah. Yeah. And also port tiles. We use tiles and stone source for the vanity. And then the soaker tub I believe we purchased that one from a bathroom depot.
Okay.
And then poured the custom shower glass door. Actually, this will be a custom shower glass door because Yeah. I ended up having a custom shower for them.
Mhm.
And we got the shower from Nerval.
Great.
Yep. For Nerval. Yeah. Again, such a great suppliers, sir. Been really good to deal with.
Yeah. Easy to handle and schedule wise. Yeah. They’re really good with that one. And of course, installation. if there’s a problem with installation, we could easily call them and they will just go back immediately. That’s what I love with Nerval.
And they have this massive showroom in Sherwood Park that Yeah, it’s like a designer paradise when you go there. Everything is there like from all four bathrooms, kitchen.
Yeah, they have everything. So, we have a YouTube video on Nerval.
Yeah, I believe me and Tom went there. Sure. Yeah. To check the product. And yeah, as a designer, I really love shopping with Nerval and Styles and Stone Source. Yeah, definitely.
Renovation Challenges and Safety Considerations
Asbestos Testing, Ceiling Work, and Subfloor Prep
Do you remember any particular challenges in this bathroom aside from trying to fit everything into two separate bathrooms and we identified that wasn’t going to work and so you came up with a solution?
yeah. First seeing that space because it’s like two separate bathroom.
Mhm.
Of course there’s a partition wall between the end suite and the existing main bedroom. I know that there will be a bent there and we encounter a band in the middle of the wall that we need to remove.
Yeah.
Luckily for us, we have this of course our subcon, the plumber who could relocate the main bouncer. That’s one major factor about that one.
And also the flooring the floor itself the subfloor it’s not really level that’s why our guy Johan really I believe how many bags of floor leveler to level the flooring or the subfloor before we installed the flooring materials there sir.
Right.
Yeah. That’s one major factor and take in consideration of course because before before we start designing or even demoing sir usually for the houses I believe it’s 1970s or something below 1970s there’s a chance that there’s asbestos presence on it that’s why before trying to do with the renovation or even the demolition we get samples of asbestos.
Step one, right? Make sure everyone’s safe.
Yeah. Ensuring the client and of course us are safe handling or doing the renovation and luckily the client Yeah. For the client there’s no asbestos there. That’s why it’s easier for us to get everything there sir.
Yeah. Yep. Yep. Main challenges will be the main band stack. So because in my design I really need to remove that specific wall to have a bigger space. bigger battery.
Did we have any issues when it comes to the stipple ceiling? Because we took down some walls. We took down a closet and we incorporated that closet into the whole footprint.
Yes, sir.
And so it’s a stipple ceiling in there.
Yes, sir. It’s a stipple ceiling. Actually, the stipple ceiling there’s we have two ways of doing it, but for a bathroom, I would highly recommend to have a flat ceiling. Instead of scraping that, one might as well install a new drywall a moisture resistant drywall because per the old drywall is not a moisture resistant drywall sir. That’s why we ended up having a new ceiling there sir a moisture resistant ceiling or drywall and it’s easy for us to resurface everything and I usually advise a client especially for bathrooms or I would not advise having a texture because of the moisture in the air.
Right, again I love the stipple in those pre 1980 homes. Not every client that they’ve got a home from 1985 to previous loves it, and they want us to start doing any demo that’s the very first thing that we will advise is let’s let’s get some asbestos testing done and make sure that everybody is safe and if there’s asbestos it’s going to add significant cost to the project but what’s your life worth right yeah sir of course because u you need to isolate course the space and ensuring all the people you know, right?
We did some add-ons. It wasn’t straight bathroom work. There was some flooring and some additional work.
Yeah. Because the client was so in love with the bedroom, might as well considering renovating the master bedroom.
Yeah.
Yes, sir. one of the requests of the client is to have a walk-in closet because I ended up taking the existing closet and convert it to a space for the bathroom in order to give them all their requests for the bathroom. Sir, yeah, the good thing is that the master bedroom has plenty of space for storage. I advise the client to have one side of the bedroom to be a proper walk-in closet. So yeah, we added a wall there, sir. And then the client has this this barn door that we installed there. It’s really lovely and it’s really really solid.
Repurposed that.
We just repurposed that one because they have like some sort of sentimental value with that barn door. That’s Yep. The client was really happy having that barn door there in their closet and reusing it and of course saving some money for the renovation as well, sir.
Yeah, we ended up having that walk-in closet, the corner corner space of the master bedroom, and we painted the entire entire master bedroom and changed all the baseboard and trim as well, sir.
And flooring, too.
The flooring, sir. no, for the master bedroom.
No, because they’re planning to do the entire flooring next year with us, sir.
Actually, yeah. Yeah, that’s why they’re giving, they’re just holding that one, sir, for now. So they must have been happy overall.
Client Feedback and Renovation Transparency
Weekly Reports, Professionalism, and Final Walk Through
What was your feedback when you did your final walk through?
And when I did the final walk through actually they were so really amazed with the space. Actually the client is already excited using the space where he have this shampoo or something and I’m teasing the client that oh you need a wine there ma’am. It really looks fancy sir.
Yeah, Paul, I’m so excited using my soap cursor, my soaper dub, and yeah.
Yeah, the after pictures came out great and they gave us an amazing review as well. So, another satisfied customer and a clear process that we have and Yes, sir. It works very well.
Yes, sir.
From start to finish, honesty really is the best policy. Then using the experts that we have and trying to understand what’s most important to the client and then we make that what’s most important to us and really just be honest and do good work. Right.
Actually the client was really impressed with our transparency.
Yeah.
Because it’s as a project manager me and Tom ensuring that we have this progress report and expenses report weekly.
Yeah.
At least the client knows what’s happening with the project. If we encounter project, we have this app like documenting everything the company cam it’s really useful for us for documenting of course the construction itself.
Yeah.
And the client was really impressed with everything, especially with the transparency s.
Yeah.
And people is they really love our people. So professional they just you guys are really professional. That’s why we keep on using it for our renovations.
Yeah. Well, we do our best and and and it shows it comes out in the end and so thank you to those folks. They know who they are probably. We don’t like to give out people’s names, too much personal information, but it was project T and one of our favorite bathrooms. So, if you’re interested in a luxury bathroom, you can ask us about those type of projects. We’ve got it all online whether that’s on our website. We even did a nice video.
Oh yeah, sir. Yeah, a before and after video.
And after the video and so yeah, we definitely enjoy the luxury bathrooms and that one was an awesome project and a job very well done.
Oh, thank you, sir. Thank you, sir.
Good job done there, Paulo. We greatly appreciate your high skill set.
Oh, thank you, sir. Thank you, sir. It’s my pleasure.
Yeah. Yeah. Well, that’s all we got for today. Another luxury bathroom and another five-star client. So, what else can we say? That’s it. Come back and see us again and subscribe, like, share, and all those good things. Thank you so much, Paulo, for coming out and your expertise.
Thank you. Thank you.