Trade craftsmanship and construction material in Calgary - a complex topic

Often the 'old times' are referenced when it comes to construction and how good it 'used to be'.  I don't actually know much about building before the late 90's, however I have torn down a bunch of houses and they were, without exception, awful. True, they had better lumber back then, but mostly the homes I have destroyed were about 60 years old and just nasty, defective, smelly relics. 

The building code is far more stringent and the materials vastly superior today. For example, wiring, furnaces, appliances, cabinetry and countless other products are designed with technology and materials unheard of in the post war period. We now feature LED lighting as a standard in our pot lights, this was cost prohibitive just a few years ago. 

While materials are far better, what about craftsmanship?  Today's fast pace and the pressure to get stuff done can frequently interfere with getting the material installed with the care and attention the client deserves.  For the most part we have been able to hire good crews and we are impressed with the technical work that is done.  Here is a good example of the electrical panel we had recently completed. Not likely possible 50 years ago! 

Master bathroom update - house 2

Lots of progress to report at house two. With tile grouted, shower glass installed, and freestanding tub in place with tub filled, we are nearing completion. Here are some photo updates from today