David Andersen heard a big bang bang and lound crash while watching TV! Fearing his wife had fallen down the stairs he rushed to investigate. Thankfully, she was safe and there was no injury to human life or limb. The damage however was  to David’s 103-year-old home. A portion of the original ceiling located above the stairs had collapsed and fallen.

This prompted a call to Greenwave Construction. Greenwave is a member of David’s Okanagan Business Referral group and has a reputation for their extensive experience in renovating historical homes. As the owner of Greenwave, I was thrilled to get the call because Mr. Andersen’s home was not just any home, it was a piece of Kelowna’s history.

Photo: Contributed

The Anderson home formally known as “The Cedars”, had served as a Bed and Breakfast for a period of time, as well as serving briefly as a maternity ward for the Kelowna General Hospital while undergoing renovations. It was the first residential lot subdivided off of Abbott Street and was in existence before the city of Kelowna was incorporated. Built for a piano salesman in 1905, the original home was constructed with no electricity or central heating. This was later installed when the home was used by the hospital. The antique radiators still function as efficiently and perfectly today as when they were installed. It’s not a run down old building; it’s an absolutely beautiful residence.

Kelowna home and commercial renovations is what Greenwave Construction specializes in. As the owner of Greenwave, I came over immediately to undertake a thorough inspection and make recommendations to remedy the damage.

The challenge was to replace the deteriorated ceiling while at the same time preserving the wallpaper on the walls that met the ceiling. Originally it was thought that a crown molding would be required to cover this old-to-new connection, however as the job completed, it became obvious that David had called the right Kelowna home renovation company.

The repair and connection was seamless and the work was completed in a few days. Greenwave made sure to take down the scaffolding as well as vacuum at the end of every work day while the job was underway. Mr. Andersen was so thrilled with the performance that he enquired about a hardwood install on the stairs of their home their kitchen and dining room. Within a few days selections were made and the flooring was underway.

The work and attention that myself and my staff displayed, prompted the owner to continue the work until the entire main living area of the home was clad in classic birch planked hardwood. Great care was taken to level the floors in the vintage home in an efficient way that allowed the project to continue uninterrupted to its successful conclusion.

Renovation of Kelowna heritage homes requires supervision by master craftsmen and precision high quality work to help preserve the value and integrity of these local treasures. It is our generation’s responsibility to protect and preserve our history for future generations. It is one thing to look at pictures of historic Kelowna it is quite another to walk through a preserved piece of our history.

David Federici has spent 25 years running residential construction projects.  Now with Greenwave Construction, David focuses on home and commercial renovations. David’s experience has qualified him to instruct trades in Kelowna and guide clients successfully through their projects.