CRAIGLEIGH CUSTOM HOMES MAGAZINE MAGAZI NE. Deluxe Stair & Railing Ltd. It s a wonderful focal point in any home. Doing Things Greg Merkac s Way!

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MAGAZI NE Oct /Nov 2013 CRAIGLEIGH CUSTOM HOMES Doing Things Greg Merkac s Way! $4.

1 F OR U M M A GA ZI N E.CA FORUM A Trade and Lifestyles Publication MAGAZINE Oct/Nov th ANNI VE R SA R Y MAGAZI NE Oct /Nov 2013 CRAIGLEIGH CUSTOM HOMES Doing Things Greg Merkac s Way! $4.95 Cdn Deluxe Stair & Railing Ltd. It s a wonderful focal point in any home Toronto Fall 2013 Classic Car Auction forummagazine.ca Largest Classic Car Auction in Canada

6 Forum Magazine CRAIGLEIGH CUSTOM HOMES Doing Things Greg Merkac s Way! by John Lawrence Reynolds Young people destined to become successful musicians are known as prodigies.

2 6 Forum Magazine CRAIGLEIGH CUSTOM HOMES Doing Things Greg Merkac s Way! by John Lawrence Reynolds Young people destined to become successful musicians are known as prodigies. But what do we call someone who, almost from the day he is old enough to grip a hammer in his hand, knows he will build houses not everyday run-of-the-mill family homes but spectacular custom landmarks and superbly renovated heritage homes? You could call him Greg Merkac, founder and president of Craigleigh Custom Homes. Based on Greg s skills as a builder, designer, manager and visionary, Craigleigh has achieved an exceptional reputation based both on their retinue of custom homes and on the complex large-scale renovations they have carried out. I guess I ve been pretty good at multitasking ever since I was a little kid, he says. It s helped me build the houses and, of course, build the company over twenty-five years. When you re working on a large custom home or renovating an historical residence where everything has to be first-rate in quality and authentic in appearance well, it helps to be able to understand and do everything that needs to be done, and sometimes get it done yourself. The old saying is It ain t bragging if you can do it, and Greg Merkac can do it all of it. I m probably not as good at laying bricks as I d like to be, he admits with a smile, but I can do just about everything else needed on a job site. Including framing, dry-walling, electrical, that sort of thing. So I have a pretty good idea just where we are at every stage, what needs to be done, and how it has to be done.

Forum Magazine 7 Craigleigh Custom Homes is no oneman operation. In fact, it s not even one company.

Some of Greg s competitors in custom home building use his custom millwork service as their source for cabinetry and other items to be installed in their own custom homes.

attention to detail. I like to think of myself as a problem-solver, he says. I don t dwell on all the steps needed.

3 Forum Magazine 7 Craigleigh Custom Homes is no oneman operation. In fact, it s not even one company. Within Craigleigh, Greg Merkac manages a home automation company as well as maintaining a partnership in a custom millwork shop. Some of Greg s competitors in custom home building use his custom millwork service as their source for cabinetry and other items to be installed in their own custom homes. Success truly lies in the details when creating homes as impressive and elaborate as the ones Craigleigh has produced, and Greg Merkac has become well-known for his nearfanatical attention to detail. I like to think of myself as a problem-solver, he says. I don t dwell on all the steps needed. I just examine the situation, decide what needs to be done, and find a way to do it. Photos by Scarfone Photography Which is what he did with the Victorianera home in Toronto s Cabbagetown area that was purchased by a major professional sports figure. He loved the look of the place, but it needed so much work that we couldn t make the necessary changes as it stood, Greg

4 says. So we got permission to tear it down and replicate the original façade right down to the smallest detail. It is far less taxing to build a new home on a vacant lot than to carry out major renovations to an old home. You re always uncovering issues that you can t foresee, Greg explains. Many are structural issues, such as framing and foundation. In the case of the home we replicated in Cabbagetown, a lot of challenges concerned the detailed gingerbread trim made and installed by craftsman back in the 1800s. They had to be reproduced perfectly. And who did all the demanding detail work? We did. In our own shop. Greg and his team of tradespeople succeeded so well in recreating the vintage Victorian home that it was declared the winner of the Cabbagetown House Of The Year award, and stands today as a modern representation of the kind of architecture that set the standard for that era. For Greg Merkac, success is all about finesse. Which means that some of the best examples of his work are not immediately apparent at first glance. Nor should they be. A good example of this approach is a major renovation performed by Craigleigh Homes on an older residence in Toronto s Roxborough neighbourhood. We retained the old façade and the first third of the house, Greg says, but the back two-thirds is entirely new. The real challenge was to hide the place where the old portion of the house ends and the new part begins. It should be completely invisible. And it is. This kind of work attracts attention among people who value Greg s skill and insist on employing it for their own custom home or renovation projects. It also generates word-ofmouth support, the very best kind of advertising any business can hope to enjoy, and Craigleigh has enjoyed more than its share. On one street in a fashionable part of Toronto 18 homes 8 Forum Magazine

have been built or extensively renovated by Greg s company, all the direct result of happy clients spreading the word among

Things like bedroom location and size, where to place electrical outlets, traffic flow through the house.

I know the things that can make a custom home special for everybody in the family, and I share my ideas with clients.

5 have been built or extensively renovated by Greg s company, all the direct result of happy clients spreading the word among their neighbours. I enjoy discussing my client s needs with them, he says. Things like bedroom location and size, where to place electrical outlets, traffic flow through the house. They re all important in a family home. I have five kids of my own. I know the things that can make a custom home special for everybody in the family, and I share my ideas with clients. In Greg Merkac s book, there are only two ways to build a home or tackle a major renovation: the right way and the wrong way. There is no in-between, no compromise, no cutting corners for the sake of short-term gain. He proved it with two adjacent homes in Rosedale. Forum Magazine 9

I was renovating one older home and building a new home next to it, he recalls.

height. This wasn t going to work for a bunch of reasons. Something had to be done.

the basement and lower the main floor joists by one foot, and install an entirely new main floor.

Forum Magazine Ten-foot ceilings in the older home, a spectacular renovation achieved, and a very happy

6 I was renovating one older home and building a new home next to it, he recalls. My newer home was to have ten-foot ceilings but the ceilings in the older home were only nine feet in height. This wasn t going to work for a bunch of reasons. Something had to be done. 10 The something in Greg s book was to support the top two floors of the three-storey older home from the basement and lower the main floor joists by one foot, and install an entirely new main floor. In the process all the windows on the main floor level had to be lowered an equal amount. Voila! Forum Magazine Ten-foot ceilings in the older home, a spectacular renovation achieved, and a very happy homebuyer. Some of Greg s problem-solving skills are applied to situations yet to arise, but that he and his team prepare for. Such as anticipating the growing wave of home

Forum Magazine 11 new homes. It s very common for a homeowner, after living in the home for a year or two, to say, I wish I had wiring over there for this reason or that reason, Greg says.

Greg also has a way of solving his own problems: He works out regularly, with the guidance of a professional trainer.

7 Forum Magazine 11 new homes. It s very common for a homeowner, after living in the home for a year or two, to say, I wish I had wiring over there for this reason or that reason, Greg says. When this happens, it s good to be able to say, We re ready the basic wiring is already installed. We know where it is and how to hook things up quickly and easily. And we do. Greg also has a way of solving his own problems: He works out regularly, with the guidance of a professional trainer. Why would a guy handling bricks, drywall, framing lumber and joists need regular physical workouts? Greg smiles at the question. It s a great stress reliever for me, he says. For the entire hour I m working out, somebody else is making the decisions. He s telling me what to do instead of me telling a bunch of other people. And I can go back to work with a whole new fresh attitude. Greg may soon have another means of shifting his focus now and then. His Photos by Scarfone Photography automation features. It is difficult to predict the extent of home automation features owners will demand in the coming years, but most are certain to require wiring for full operation. Greg anticipates this need, not only with his own automation services firm but by pre-installing hidden wiring within

8 approach to custom homebuilding has attracted the attention of a major TV producer, who plans to feature his engaging style and construction finesse in a new reality show. When this happens, count on the show reaching a new level of perfection when it comes to television. Greg wouldn t have it any other way. Tel greg@craigleighhomes.com Greg Merkac 12 Forum Magazine

9 22 Forum Magazine

Deluxe Stair & Railing delivers nothing short of beautiful crafted stairs from the finest quality hardwoods. is a family owned business incorporated in 1997.

10 Deluxe Stair & Railing Ltd. It s a wonderful focal point in any home and possibly a key element in most interiors; visually a staircase offers an impressive first look at the design and talent behind its steps. Deluxe Stair & Railing delivers nothing short of beautiful crafted stairs from the finest quality hardwoods. Deluxe Stair & Railing Ltd. is a family owned business incorporated in Since then, Deluxe has grown substantially, making numerous moves to larger premises to keep up with a growing demand. With a growing market and varying needs from each unique customer, the stair and railing industry is opening up to a more creative future where clients appreciate a unique product that differentiates their unique abode from the rest. Deluxe has been establishing and developing relationships with home owners, custom builders, general contractors and large developers. The team offers over two hundred years of experience to the industry and constantly brings new ideas to the table with the highest level of quality and professionalism in order to grow and succeed as leaders in the stair and railing industry. CONSULTING Every step at Deluxe is taken very seriously and the very first step is consulting with the client. Here, questions are answered to assure any needs of the client as well as planning scheduled dates of which the final product will be ready in their homes. On-site measuring can also be done during the first consultation meeting. FABRICATION Old world ways at Deluxe are instilled in all the team artisans. From the initial selection of wood to the final step where stairs are protected before shipment, the knowledgeable team takes craftsmanship very seriously for a completely stable and beautiful end-product. INSTALLATION At Deluxe, stairs are wrapped in an industrial plastic with OSB plywood custom fit, where they are temporarily stapled to the treads and stringers to combat any moisture or potential damage that can occur on-site for the duration of the project. A team of highly skilled professionals, using specialized tools install the finished product while maintaining a safe environment for the home owner or construction site. Deluxe Stair & Railing believe what truly sets them apart in designing and manufacturing something as beautiful as a custom staircase is their customer service, the product quality and the special details that define their clients specific stair project. Deluxe Stair & Railing Ltd. has been satisfying customers in the Greater Toronto Area since 1997 and despite the recent economic turmoil, has grown as a company and are continuing to emerge as a growing leader in the stair and railing industry. Whether it is a custom project or a large contract for mass production, Deluxe delivers superior quality products in a timely manner, employing a team of highly skilled and trained professionals embracing old fashioned values and techniques in a step-by-step process for perfection. Because stairs and railings are a focal point in many households; it is crucial that products are finished above standard quality and Deluxe does so with every staircase and railing project, taking every step into consideration in order to ultimately please the client. At Deluxe, the customers satisfaction is achieved by treating every customer as if they are their only customer. Forum Magazine 23

11 1845 Sandstone Manor, Unit #20-22, Pickering, ON L1W 3X9 Tel: Fax: Forum Magazine

Vince DiPietro enjoys talking

Vince DiPietro and Angelica Homes One Dream at a Time by John Reynolds Vince DiPietro enjoys talking about custom homes almost as much as he enjoys building them. Or, if you prefer, you could always review