TEN REASONS TO USE CONVIVIUM CONTRACTING CORP.

1. HONEST & DEPENDABLE: Integrity and fairness are the basis of Convivium Contracting Corp. business ethics, whether working with customers, suppliers or fellow team members. Honesty is not the best policy, but the only policy. The Owners and Employees of Convivium Contracting Corp. are in the building business because they love it. They are dedicated to each project and take much pride in the final product.

2. EXPERIENCE: The Owners of Convivium Contracting Corp. and their Employees have many years of experience and a proven track record. Their experience ensures that their projects will be done right and with the upmost professionalism. They also use only proven and reputable subcontractors and material suppliers. Their staff also includes a licensed professional Designer (Fusion Home Designs Inc.) and additional licensed residential building sub-trades and contractors.

3. COMPANY SIZE: Convivium Contracting Corp. is not a large production builder. They are a small family owned and operated business, whose focus is on quality craftsmanship, functionality and value. They emphasize hands-on management style and personal attention to clients. They are large enough however, to handle some of the larger projects and thus, have the ability to schedule jobs sooner or complete them more quickly.

4. OFFICE MANAGEMENT: Besides providing outstanding field work, Convivium Contracting Corp. also completes the management of their projects with the upmost professionalism. Detailed estimating, proposals, permitting, and material/Subcontractor coordination are essential to a successful project. Their dedicated office manager is also very experienced in the company accounting and bookkeeping duties.

5. COST: Convivium Contracting Corp. strives to assure their clients real value for their dollar at a profit sufficient to provide for the well being of their employees. Their detailed proposals ensure clients that there won't be any hidden cost and they know exactly what they are getting.

6. QUALITY: Convivium Contracting Corp. prides themselves with having a strong dedication to the principle that a quality product is its own best form of advertising. Their employees are a few of the best craftsman in the area. Quality construction continues after the close of the project.

7. SCHEDULE: When Convivium Contracting Corp. starts a project they commit themselves to get it done in the timeliest manner as possible. They use the latest tools, techniques, and technology to do the job more quickly. By doing their own demolition work, rough carpentry work, exterior finish work, and interior finish work they have better control of the project schedule and can expedite the project.

8. DESIGN SERVICES:  Projects completed by Convivium Contracting Corp. are typically designed by Fusion Home Designs Inc. using AutoCAD and Revit software. With completing drawings in house, they can ensure that the project is designed to your specifications and budget. They can also ensure cost effective designs. They want the client to be happy with their home or project, now and long into the future. Detailed plans also allow the project to be more precisely estimated and eliminates questions in the field.

9. SERVICE: Providing clients a complete service package, Convivium Contracting Corp. guides clients through every step of the building process, from design to material discussion, budget to site arrangement. They consider the details of a project from the start-up, preparing the way for a smooth and positive construction experience.

10. SAFETY: Convivium Contracting Corp. is sincerely interested in the safety of their clients, employees, the public, and our operations. They have a Safety Program and their employees are continually trained on safety issues.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

WHAT DOES CONVIVIUM MEAN?

1.    (ecology); A geographically isolated population of a species that shows differentiation from other populations of the same species; becomes a subspecies or ecotype.

We like to view ourselves as a company that isn’t like all the rest. A company whom fills certain niches; be it supplying complete home packages to the end consumer, buying-extensive renovating-selling homes, or tackling that unique project or space other companies aren’t equipped complete.

WHAT TYPE OF CONSTRUCTION WORK DOES YOUR COMPANY DO?

Convivium Contracting Corp. is notable in four areas of construction activity. 

1. Renovation Services for which constitutes the majority of the company’s activity.
2. Basements are the bread and butter of Conviviums business model. 
3. Convivium is a new home builder and is able to construct your Home package or other, to any stage the client prefers. 
4. Convivium has taken its diverse skill set and applied it to the handyman service area. Through consistent inquiries for services from potential clients and existing clientele, we have now included handyman services ran through our ongoing service department. 

HOW DID YOU GET INTO THE BUSINESS?

Convivium Contracting Corp. has an extensive background in construction project design and development management. The company founder, Barry D. Hemphill, gained much of that experience and knowledge in his early general contracting time in the late 1990’s commencing into the 2000’s with endeavours throughout the construction industry including residential, commercial, and industrial aspects. Barry ultimately came full circle back to his roots; home design/construction, remodeling, and project planning in the Calgary area.

WHY YOUR COMPANY COMPARED TO THE MANY OTHERS IN THIS AREA?

Convivium Contracting Corp. is a multi-disciplined firm, which has been providing the highest quality building design and construction services to clients since 2010. Our services represent more than typical contracting activities. We are design/build technical advocates, approaching projects from our clients’ point of view, representing our clients’ interests, and observing our clients’ bottom line.

We have assembled a team of home designers, interior decorators, contractors, sub-trades, and support staff with the combined experience and breadth of expertise normally found in companies many times our modest size. However, we do not have a multi-layered bureaucracy, and this allows Convivium to be responsive to client needs, creative in our solutions, and cost effective in our execution.

COMPARED TO OTHER BUILDERS WHAT CAN YOU OFFER ME, THAT IS DISTINCTIVE?

Our business principles stated above in the answer, generally layout those aspects of our company which make us distinctive among builders. Listed are few more:

1. Certainly, the thorough identification of our clients’ needs and a corporate priority of advocating our clients’ interests first and advancing their priorities above all else, sets our company apart.
2. Our encouraging the use of state-of-the-art, innovative green construction technology assures buildings of high structural integrity, cost-saving energy utilization, low maintenance requirements, and long-term quality of life for occupants of any age or physical condition.
3. The provision of high quality professional services to our clients at competitive prices is an important factor. While no company can continue to grow and serve clients without turning a profit, Convivium Contracting Corp. effectively approaches this through efficient operations, cost management, and fair pricing.
4. Exceeding our clients’ expectations is often readily achieved through diligent exercise of the three principles laid out above. But our attention to detail throughout the home building process and excellent customer service after the clients move in is key to complete customer satisfaction.
5. Our policy of enhancing the professional growth and job satisfaction of our employees and sub-contractors goes hand in hand with our goal of serving clients best by hiring the most talented people available.

CAN YOU LIST ANY BUSINESS PRINCIPLES?

Convivium Contracting Corp.is dedicated to the following business principles:

• Identifying our clients’ needs in a forthright, objective manner.
• Encouraging the use of state of the art, innovative design, green construction and engineering solutions where such solutions are in our clients’ best interests.
• Providing high quality, professional design/construction services to our clients at competitive prices.
• Exceeding our clients’ expectations through attention to detail and treating every project as if it were our own.
• Fostering a work environment for our employees and sub-contractors which engenders pride, commitment, professional growth, and job satisfaction.

WHAT DO I NEED TO DO BEFORE A PROJECT CAN START?

As no two projects are the same, we suggest you start with your project’s goals and your budget. Once you contact us, we’ll supply you with a detailed list of requirements that need to be arranged before your project can begin. Plus, we’ll help you work through them. 

WHAT’S MY ROLE IN THE DESIGN AND LAYOUT OF MY PROJECT? 

Conviviums in-house design firm Fusion Home Designs Inc. is considered the go-to design company to over 35 individual construction companies including their clientele.  This is indicative of the trust and confidence contractors and clients can have in our home planning and building. Whether from a stock plan brought to us by the client, a home plan from our portfolio of designs, or a brand new custom home plan, close collaboration with the client in identifying their needs and desires is paramount. Decisions at all levels in the planning and construction phases are made with full coordination and consideration of advocating our clients’ interests, and advancing their priorities.

We only complete a select few major projects a year, some of average size and others quite expansive, but we build each one with care and precision. In our very active renovation services including partial home additions and improvements, this is where Conviviums team shine. Transforming existing places into dream spaces, with incorporating all the clients wants and needs into a well thought-out, functional, within budget plan, is exactly what we get excited about. This, coupled with our custom home design division, affords the customer, in many respects, a one-stop shopping center for home design/construction and remodeling.

HOW (SPECIFICALLY) DO YOU PERSONALIZE SERVICE TO YOUR ME?

If a client selects our company for the design and/or construction of their home, we will be helping them through many, if not all, of the stages of home design, budgeting, material selections, simple landscape planning, permit approval, site preparation, construction, and even interior design and decor. We will be answering their questions all through these processes, aiding them in decisions, and doing our utmost to eliminate any and all concerns. If the client is normally present in the local area, this is usually accomplished through personal meetings either in a place convenient for the client or at the job site. Often, clients are to busy to continually meet in the early design stage of the build, in those cases, coordination and communication is easily accomplished by various means as available; IE; phone, email, postal service, express delivery or even by fax.

We serve clients best by hiring and continuing the development of our talented team, and we work hard to effectively personalize the service between our clients and our various specialists. Starting early in the home planning process, we coordinate with specialists such as our kitchen/bath designers, interior decorator, and others to assure minimal changes during actual construction. For example, Interior Decorators, will early on work to advise on space planning, furniture placement, special window considerations, unique wall niches, and a myriad of other space, decorative considerations to incorporate in the home plan. Such advice and client consent throughout all phases of the planning and construction processes assures the advocacy of our clients’ interests and the advancement of their priorities.

WHO WILL BE HANDLING MY PROJECT?

All projects are currently handled personally by Barry Hemphill the owner/operator of Convivium Contracting Corp. As a smaller but growing company we are able to keep relationships on a more personal level; backed with decades of experience, complete with a small team to help coordinate all the endeavours on the site. By using a team-based approach, we ensure that a team member will be available to lead the team and be responsible for each stage of the project.

DO YOU USE SUBCONTRACTORS OR SUBTRADES?

Yes, a large part of the success of our business comes from the precision expertise of our Subcontractors. At Convivium Contracting Corp. we treat our subcontractors and subtrades as extensions of our own organization and we are continually striving to improve our subcontractor relationships to allow for improved performance and product. Understanding the need for rigid coordination of job sites and strong partnerships with subcontractors are critical to delivering the quality projects on schedule and on budget.

No matter what the size or trade we believe in a fair and goal oriented approach to working with Subcontractors. Our employees take pride in their relationships with subcontractors and other partners and work hard to foster positive cooperation and mutual respect on all our projects. We want each and every project to be a rewarding experience for all involved parties.

HOW INVOLVED DO I NEED TO BE?

That’s up to you. We have clients who like weekly check-ins, and others who only want to know when milestones are achieved.  We’re happy to involve you as much – or as little – as you want.

DO I NEED TO HIRE AN ARCHITECT?

That depends on the scope of the project. For a modest indoor main-floor renovation or basement development, probably not as our in-house drafting team can produce prints for permit approval. For a custom home or a complex addition dealing with structural construction, you’ll be hiring an architect or plans designer, be it your own or again our in house design company Fusion Home Designs Inc.  At Convivium Contracting Corp., we can meet with your architect and evaluate the drawings to ensure that the project can stay within budget. As a design-build company, our knowledge helps us identify plans and concepts that can raise costs and come up with workable solutions to create optimal, affordable results.  

DO I REQUIRE PERMITS? 

Dependent on the scope of your project, building permits may or may not be required. Typically, if you are doing anything of the following; demolish, relocate, repair, alter or make additions to an existing building you will require a permit. The following items do NOT require a permit; fences, sidewalks, planters, painting, decorating and general maintenance, minor repairs using similar or same materials for maintenance which do not affect any electrical or mechanical work, accessory buildings (sheds) not greater than 10 square metres in area, if they do not create a hazard. Convivium will pull a permit on anything out of the above listed scope of projects, to ensure everyone's liability and peace of mind.

WHO HANDLES PERMITS IF I REQUIRE THEM?

The Convivium team can handle all of the building permits required for your project and ensure they are approved before proceeding. Many home owners (H/O) will take advantage of additional savings by pulling a permit for themselves. Convivium might not be involved in the whole project scope, therefore the H/O will take on the general contractor position and pull their own permits.

WHO DEALS WITH THE UTILITY COMPANIES?

With your authorization, we will make any necessary arrangements with your utility company – including being on site as needed – to ensure that your services work properly.

DOES MY FAMILY HAVE TO MOVE OUT DURING A RENOVATION/ADDITION PROJECT?

That depends on the scope of the project. For example, some families are comfortable living in the basement during a second-storey addition, while others balk at the thought of that much togetherness – especially teenagers. We can tell you what to expect, so you can make the arrangements that work best for your household.

I HAVE KIDS & PETS, ARE THEY SAFE IN A CONSTRUCTION SITE? 

From the office to the project site and everywhere in between, safety is fundamental to our everyday philosophy. Convivium is dedicated to operating and maintaining projects with safety as a priority. It is our belief that Health and Safety practices come as a priority as important as other aspects of construction including schedules, profits and clients.

Through the development and implementation of our Health & Safety Program, we have established a system of site safety practices, processes and procedures, providing the framework for all employees to fulfil their individual and collective safety responsibilities. The effectiveness of our Health & Safety program is dependent upon the active participation and strong commitment by everyone in our organization, at every level of the construction process.

With the challenges of General Contracting forever diversifying, we work to be proactive by addressing health and safety concerns through consistent education, management, and review of our safety program. Convivium will strive to continuously improve our health and safety program, in our determination to attain our ultimate goal of an injury and accident free work environment.
Maintaining this standard is our top priority and we expect and assist all employees, Subcontractors and Associates with our company to be actively engaged in achieving these safety initiatives.

HOW WILL I KNOW IF MY PROJECT IS RUNNING ACCORDING TO THE PROPOSAL?

Based on the scope of your project, we’ll put a comprehensive plan together for you that includes milestones and specific goals and timelines for each milestone for your reference. 

WHAT TYPE OF GUARANTEE DO YOU PROVIDE?

Convivium Contracting Corp. offers a one-year warranty on all work, and we follow the manufacturer's warranties on the parts and materials we install.

DO YOU USE ANY SPECIAL NAME BRAND PRODUCTS IN THE BUILDING PROCESS?

Convivium has access to most of the available vendors serving western Canada, in turn have the ability to obtain just about any products the client may want.

DO YOU HAVE ANY EXTRA FEATURES/AMENITIES AVAILABLE?

There is a wide range of such features available. Essentially, we have done just about anything that our clients desire from exotic wood interiors, custom kitchens and bathrooms, home theater systems, gazebos, to light commercial projects, straight-walled quonsets and barns, etc

WHAT ARE SOME STANDARD FEATURES THAT WOULD BE CONSIDERED EXTRA BY OTHER BUILDERS?

Engineered truss floor system; cantilevered engineered truss roofs where appropriate; premium plywood subflooring; Triple pane Windows; Energy Management Systems; Special curtain, towel bar, mirror, and heavy picture reinforced wall blocking support.

HOW BEST WOULD YOU REPRESENT YOUR COMPANY’S STRENGTHS?

Convivium Contracting Corp.– Quality, Value-added, Creative, Service-Oriented, Technical Advocates

DOES YOUR COMPANY HAVE A SLOGAN OR MOTTO?

“Turning old places into new spaces” or "Innovation with intention"

WILL YOU FOLLOW UP AFTER MY PROJECT IS COMPLETE?

Our customer service program is one of the cornerstones in our company’s continuing success. It is oriented around our warranty service 30-day and one-year home inspections after our clients’ occupancy.

HOW CLOSE DO YOU STAY TO PROPOSED TIMELINES?

When you make an agreement with Convivium Contracting Corp. we will give you an projected timeline of when we can start and finish the project. We aim to keep this timeline, but if anything unseen does come up which delays the project, we always talk with the customer making sure this will not cause any trouble. We do not rush, but we do make the absolute best of our time.

HOW ARE PAYMENTS MADE, AND WHEN ARE THEY MADE?

A payment schedule custom made to fit your project will be given prior to the start of your project. It may include a 10% down payment, progress payments, & a final payment after the job is complete. Depending on the size of your project, or other variables of your project, different payment terms may be written up specifically for you. Please contact us to discuss your own plan!

We also offer one of the most flexible payment programs for completing your project. We custom fit our payment schedule to match with milestones in the progress of the project. This means that we often accept 9-10 smaller payments over the duration, rather than 3 large lump sum payments like most contractors. This approach allows you evaluate the progress in a logical way, and make payments related to each major milestone. Contributing to us continuing to be one of the easiest companies to do business with.

WHERE DO YOUR CLIENTS COME FROM? 

We are very proud to say that the majority of our new clients are our old clients as a welcomed regular. Our attention to detail precedes us, as referrals from past clientele or from individuals who have seen our work find their way into our contact list. We serve all our clients construction needs for today, in trusting we earned their business in the future. Lately due to the economic down term here in Alberta, we have allocated more to our advertising budget to extend our service to new clientele.

WHAT IF I WISH TO CHANGE SOMETHING AFTER THE CONTRACT IS SIGNED?

Although in an ideal world the entire project would be planned out beforehand, we know in the real world of construction this does not always happen. At the point during the construction project where a change is made from the original contract, a change work order will be written and signed by the customer authorizing the general contractor (Convivium) to do the additional or changed work that was not included in the original contract. A change work order also may be written when the general contractor comes across any unforeseen challenges.

WHAT AREA DO YOU SERVICE?

We do custom building, general construction & contracting work in and around the Calgary area including; Balzac, Chestermere, Strathmore, Langdon, Okotoks, Millerville, Priddis, Bragg Creek, and Cochrane. Although, if you are outside this area, this does not mean we won’t service you. Please contact us to discuss arrangements.
In the Handyman department we mainly service the greater Calgary area, mainly due to logistics and overhead cost both in travel time and gas.

WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO BE LICENCED?

In order for a general contractor to have a City of Calgary Business License, they must first be registered with Service Alberta. A general contractor cannot pull building permits without these licenses in place. All of this regulation and structure is for the protection of both the consumer and the contractor. Convivium would never consider operating a business without these things, and we would strongly recommend not hiring a contractor that does not possess a licence and insurance.  Convivium Contractors Licence for the Calgary region #BL155382

DO YOU HAVE INSURANCE?

Yes, Convivium Contracting Corp. carries 2 Million in liability insurance.

DO YOU CARRY WCB COVERAGE?

Yes, #803678. We are happy to provide clearance letters anytime, at your request.

ARE YOU ACCREDITED WITH THE BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU?

Yes, We are accredited with the BBB, and are proud to have an A+ rating.

WHAT ARE SOME TYPES OF CONSTRUCTION CONTRACTS?

Some of the most common types of construction contracts used in the construction industry are the following:

1.  Lump Sum or Fixed Price Contracts
2. Cost Plus Contracts
3. Unit Price Contracts
4. Time and Material Contracts.

The choice of which construction contract to use oftentimes comes down to the owner’s risk tolerance.

Lump Sum or Fixed Price Contract

Under a Lump Sum or Fixed Price Contract, the contractor agrees to perform the work specified and described in the contract for a fixed price. The price of a fixed contract can only be changed upon the execution of a change order, under which the owner and the contractor either (1) agree for the contractor to perform additional work that falls outside the scope of the original work for an agreed upon extra compensation or (2) agree to remove certain work from the original scope of work and reduce the price of the contract in proportion to the work that the contractor no longer has to perform. These types of contracts are appropriate when a clear scope and a defined schedule have been reviewed and agreed upon.

The benefit of using Lump Sum or Fixed Price Contracts is that the owner’s construction costs are more predictable. The owner’s cost will be capped by the contract price, so long as no change orders are issued and no disputes arise on the project.

There are not many drawbacks with the use of the Lump Sum or Fixed Price Contract. To ensure that the Lump Sum or Fixed Price Contract fulfills this function, i.e., provides a predictable and accurate cost of construction for the owner, it is very important for the scope of work under the contract to be clearly defined. This will eliminate the owner’s risk of the contractor attempting to increase the contract price through the issuance of change orders for the performance of additional work that is arguably not part of the original scope of work but should be. Additionally, the schedule should clearly define the work and the deadlines that must be met. This could perhaps be a drawback to the use of the Lump Sum or Fixed Price Contract because it would require additional time and money to clearly define the scope of work and create a detailed schedule (though this is something that should be done on every construction project to protect the owner).

In addition, other types of contracts, such as Cost Plus Fee or Time and Materials Contracts, could arguably be cheaper if the actual cost of construction were less than the contractor’s estimated cost of construction on which the fixed price is based. But these types of construction contracts could also be more expensive if the actual cost of construction were to exceed the contractor’s estimated costs.

Therefore, the Lump Sum or Fixed Price Contract is a relatively safe and predictable contract type that could be used on a construction project.

Cost Plus Contracts

The Cost Plus Contract is a type of a construction contract under which the owner agrees to pay the complete cost of the materials and labor needed to needed to build the project along with a fee for the contractor’s overhead and profit. This contract type is favored where the scope of work is highly uncertain or indeterminate and the type of labor, material, and equipment needed to build the project is also uncertain in nature.
This type of contract involves payment of the actual costs, purchases or other expenses generated directly from the construction activity. Under this arrangement, complete records of all time and materials spent by the contractor on the work must be maintained. Cost Plus Contracts must contain specific information about certain pre-negotiated amount (some percentage of the material and labor cost) covering contractor’s overhead and profit. Costs must be detailed and should be classified as direct or indirect costs.

There are multiple variations for Cost plus contracts, and the most common are:

• Cost Plus Fixed Percentage Contract – Compensation is based on a percentage of the cost
• Cost Plus Fixed Fee Contract – Compensation is based on a fixed sum independent the final project cost. The owner agrees to reimburse the contractor’s actual costs, regardless of amount, and in addition pay a negotiated fee independent of the amount of the actual costs
• Cost Plus Fixed Fee with Guaranteed Maximum Price Contract – Compensation is based on a fixed sum of money. The total project cost will not exceed an agreed upper limit
• Cost Plus Fixed Fee with Bonus Contract – Compensation is based on a fixed sum of money. A bonus is given if the project is finished below budget, ahead of schedule, etc.
• Cost Plus Fixed Fee with Guaranteed Maximum Price with Bonus Contract – Compensation is based on a fixed sum of money. The total project cost will not exceed an agreed upper limit and a bonus is given if the project is finished below budget, ahead of schedule, etc.
• Cost Plus Fixed Fee with Arrangement for Sharing Any Cost Savings Contract – Compensation is based on a fixed sum of money. Any cost savings are shared with the buyer and the contractor.

The Cost Plus Fixed Fee construction contract is more predictable than Cost Plus Fixed Fee Percentage Construction Contract because the contractor’s fee for overhead and profit is, as its name suggests, predetermined. Regardless of what the cost of construction ultimately amounts to, the contractor’s fee remains the same.

Conversely, the Cost Plus Fixed Percentage Construction Contract provides more variability with respect to the amount of the contractor’s fee because it is directly linked to the cost of construction, which in these types of arrangements is inherently unpredictable. In fact, the Cost Plus Fixed Percentage Construction Contract arguably incentivizes the contractor to not keep the costs low because its fee increases with the cost of construction.

The Cost Plus with Guaranteed Maximum Price Contract seeks to eliminate some of the risks associated with Cost Plus Contracts in that it caps the owner’s overall financial exposure. Thus, while the contract price is to be determined based on the cost of construction and the contractor’s fee, owner’s costs are capped at a certain amount.

These types of Cost Plus Construction Contracts are oftentimes grouped with bonus contracts, built-in contingencies, or cost savings contracts which incentivize the contractor to complete the project with agreed targets regarding schedule, quality, and budget in exchange for additional compensation on the project.
 

Unit Price Contracts

Unit Price Contracts are based on anticipated quantities of items which are counted in the project in addition to their unit prices. The final price of the project depends upon the quantities required to carry out the work. Generally, these types of contracts are suitable only for construction and supplier projects which involve accurate identification of different types of items, but not their numbers, in the contract documents. These types of contracts are oftentimes used on excavation projects.

Time and Material Contracts

Time and Material Contracts are usually preferred if the project scope is not clear, or has not been defined. The owner and the contractor must establish an agreed hourly or daily rate, including additional expenses that could arise in the construction process. The costs must be classified as direct, indirect, mark-up, and overhead. Sometimes the owner might want to establish a cap or specific project duration to the contractor that must be met, in order to have the owner’s risk minimized.

Conclusion
As with any construction project, specific and unique facts about each project dictate not only the type of construction contract that should be used, but also the specific terms that the contract should contain.

If you didn't find a answer to your question, you may contact us with the following form. We will try to answer it and potentially post it to our ongoing FAQs page. Thanks.