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is - WATHtLOO CHRONICLE - Wednesday. August 28, zois Making home IBIIOS easier ‘ RENOMii creating digital application to take headache out of renos BY BOIVIMNAC process with the contractor." ‘7‘? .3 ‘ -.. _ ' Chronicle Staff That‘s when he co-founded a company a ~ . , called RENOMii with financial expert Kara tie-sag . "w 0 one likes the uncertainty of a Smith. in luly they made the cut to partici- a: ' "' N home renovation project and the pate in the third cycle of Communitech’s ». ,_ m. sometimes uneasy relationship that HYPERDRIVE seed accelerator program, . . ' . 7 5 can develop between a contractor and a basedout oftheCommunitech Hub. ‘ ' ,, ; 7 ‘ iv homeowner. The mobile app the pair are developing ' H. .. _ i - “”' " ”“ When spending so much money there is will be marketed to contractors, who would i. g, “ always a concern about getting value for then get access to quoting software that creâ€" ‘- k money. and making sure everyone is on the ates invoices and keeps a record of all the same page can become a strain changes and adjustments requested by the Scott Barker. a self-described broker who homeowner. ' » . acted as a middleman between homeowners The homeowner will also have access to .’., and contractors. saw that relationship first- the same tools as a wayofmaking it easierfor I: __ . , hand. His job was to bring those two parties them to track costs. project completion and ’ together to smooth over any ruffled feathers adjustments they've made to the plans. . and get a projen to completion to everyone's Everything is open and transparent f." satisfaction. “ _ between the two parties. and “Basically I worked as the With all the they both have unfettered sales rep for the contractor ' access to it. That is the win- and the project manager for resell“? weue win that he Barker said he the home owner.” said Barker. done. 11/? vefound looks for when he brokered “My basic job was to make ‘ those relationships. and everybody happy. and I took that lflUé‘ help the RENOMii Wm parties on all of their problems so COHWGCIOI' It WOUld peaceofmlndflbouttheph that life was sweet between ' "It's also interactive so that both. ultimately help” if you make changes at your 'l was like the marriage the [1077190111718]: end. you can make those counsellor." - my“!!! changes and alert the con- But while doing that work infinindpr‘RHVOMu tractor to those changes." Scott Barker and Kara Smith are co-founders of RENOMii as a way to smooth out the relation- he figured there might be a said Barker. “it eliminates ship between contractors and their clients uwmm way to help the contractor streamline the confusron, and simplifies it and makes it estimate process. strengthen communication much quicker for the contractor to deal with for the homeowner to use With the institutional investors during the big pllt’h and give them more time doing what they do it. contractor.” day coming Oct. id at the (Iommunrtech best ~ construction. He found the contrac» “Everything is automated. including sup- “Mth all the research we've done. we've Hub. tors he was working with were spending pliers material SKUs. and the mobile appwill found that if we can help the contractor it In the meantime. the company's softwarv upwards of 15 hours a week writing estimates allow clear communication stored in a secure would ultimately help the homeowner.” said developers are meeting with contranors and for jobs they might never land. program so that even a phone call would get Smith. who is the (300 of RENOMii and going out to work sites to make sure the tech Barker thouyit there might be a hightech transcripted into the app and would get worked in the insurantx sector before getting nology is easy to use forthem. solution he could tailor to the iontracting stored.” involved with the startup. “The contractor Barker said they plan to roll out RENOMii industry. which has been lagging in the That's imponant because anyone who's has all these things to do on top of customer as the next great home renovation tool in implementation of new work processes. that experienced a home renovation knows there service. which they often don't have time for the Canada's biggest home Show at would cut down on their wasted time while is rarely one done without Changes made to expertise in. the Toronto Convention Centre Oct 3 to Oct strengthening their relationship With their the plans or the materiaLs used. “So howcan we make this easier for them. 6. (’llt‘nls. That idea led to the idea of develop “So as the project goes on you'll see all so they can focus on the job while allowing “There are often ill feelings that come at mg a mobile application that (ontractors that communication and the pictures as the the homeowner to have some management the end ofa pmject and we're trying to elimi r mild download to their everApnN-nr smart project goes on. so at the end of the project if ofthe project in a way they can work together narc- those.” said Barker. “Homeowners think phones that would help them ht'llt'r manage there is any discrepancies all the information at it.” contractors are tryingto hide something ”it‘ll businesses and client exper muons will be right there in your hands.~ said Barker. RliNUMiI was one of only i | new startups "But this way it's an open book. and we‘rr' “I thought. how ran I maroon/r- ihis and who is the(1l“() ole-LNOMii. "It will help con «copied into the prestigious program in July going to co manage this process. and gi'l (in more," said Barker "So we (anu- iip wrth tractors get throuy'i a job with less risk. while and is an example of how technology Is through it and be happy." this tilllt't‘pl and how do we st Allt‘ ll into a speeding up the quotation process and give reaching out into iron traditional art-as and You can follow their progn-ss on lvuttvr .ii software tool that allows the homeowner to them a tool during the sale process With the exploring new business opportunitim (a'ri‘noml‘i or www.mmnui (om You (an aim manage and her ornv .‘i partner In that home owner “It's a secure management tool Rl'NOMii plans to make their pill h to (all “97502 91%. CLEAR ' l “ " N ‘ P SYQUIRIEAIEAY THE YARD SALE , SP" 9 stifled f , ll (5 Av 9AM 5m "'""'"‘"‘°""‘°"" "Em ‘ Water . . . ' ' . 9 . t , . 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