We had the pleasure of having a phone call with Mike Stefancsik, assistant manager and co-owner with Ken Marr of Windsor Plywood on Salt Spring Island. Windsor is a Presenting Sponsor of the 2019 Eco Living and Home Tour, but it’s certainly not their first year as a sponsor of this event!
If you’re a customer at Windsor Plywood, then you’ve probably seen the sign in the store that reads “neighbours helping neighbours build their dreams.” Mike said, in a community like this, the people who come in are more than customers; they’re our friends and neighbours.
When it comes to green building project, what does interaction with friends and neighbours look like?
Apparently, islanders who go to Windsor with green building projects have already done a lot of research, and they want help chasing down products. Mike said, “There’s seemingly a lot more firsts, and we learn a lot from it. We don’t mind at all researching. We make sure that their request meets local building codes and will satisfy the building inspector. And we work with the inspectors to see if these products will work for the home owners. We get the specs and minimum standards.”
“Or sometimes, we tell them if it’s not available in Canada. But if it is in Canada, we can probably get it. Our fingers are deep when it comes to suppliers across Canada.”
What sort of green building projects are people interested in? What projects have you been able to assist with?
Mike — who specializes in windows and doors at Windsor, as well as engineered wood products — said that customers have been looking for energy efficient doors and windows. They’re specifically interested in air and water penetration and in heat loss and gain. He said, “I sold my first triple glazed package, which is hardly ever considered in this part of the world, because it’s mild, but this person was building a net zero home and had done a lot of research.”
Insulation is another product that they get asked about, and that’s one of Ken Marr’s areas of expertise. Mike said that insulation is one of those products that is constantly changing and improving.
Ken is also knowledgeable about water storage. Mike said, “It has become huge! Demand for water storage has definitely increased for us, especially with drier and drier years.” Not only does Windsor sell tanks that hold the water collected off roofs, but it has experts who are putting systems together from these tanks, for example, to water different zones in a garden.
Speaking of water, islanders also want more efficient irrigation systems that use less water because water usage is measured and more targeted. Talk to Garth if you have questions about plumbing and irrigation.
Metal roofing is a big part of rooftop water collection, and more and more people are asking for it. Eric is the man to talk to!
And another topic that eco-minded folks are interested in are power tools that are not gas-powered and are also cordless. Darren is the guy to talk to.
Siding is something that people ask about. Mike was excited about a product that Windsor carries called Allura fiber cement siding, which is a finished product. It doesn’t warp, rot, fade or burn, and it can’t be eaten by termites. Plus it can be colour matched.
If there’s one thing you’d like people to know about green building or about Windsor in terms of green building, what would it be?
Mike said that if you’re doing research and you find a new product, take your idea to Windsor because “it’s never a problem to try and chase it down. We work with suppliers and we have a lot of resources for that. There’s always a way to make it work.”
We didn’t know that Windsor sends men out to the job sites. For example, Jeff goes for kitchens, cabinets, and flooring; Eric for windows and doors with Mike; Ken for insulation or lumber commodities. This is helpful when builders can’t quite communicate what they need. Plus, going to the job site is better for finding solutions.
Finally, Mike told me, “On behalf of Ken and I, we want to thank our customers for their loyalty over the years.”