Look familiar? There are thousands of homes in this style that dot the prairies, not to mention the thousands more in both urban and rural areas around North America. Their popularity was sparked by their simplicity and functionality. In a post war era where everyone dreamed of owning a home…
On January 1, 2019, Saskatchewan joined the rest of the country by adopting a new section of the National Building Code of Canada (NBC). Section 9.36 sets out new requirements for the energy efficiency and airtightness of houses. The first question most people ask is “How does it impact me?”…
Written by Rachael Newcombe of envisionup.com Let’s face it: your electrical panel and wiring isn’t the most exciting thing to talk about when creating your home or renovation plans. But you may get excited when you find out how convenient your day-to-day life would be if you made these electrical upgrades…
This question is asked with increasing frequency as people are reluctant to leave their more spacious backyard for a new house with next to no yard. Any renovation or addition to your home has to solve your space problems and suit your style but most of all also meet your…
If my house were a car, I think it would be a 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air. Not huge, suitable for a small family, and modestly stylish for the time. At 1207 square feet, it was a common three bedroom bungalow with one bath, sitting on a bare sixty foot wide…
Many people are looking at secondary suites as a way to make a new home more affordable. There are many questions to consider. Do you really want to share your new house? What design issues do you need to consider when designing your home plans? Do the rewards outweigh the…
In architecture a picture is worth a thousand words. In this case you can instantly see the style and appeal of a Craftsman home and understand why it has been such a popular choice since its debut in the early 1900’s. Craftsman Style Principles The Craftsman style originated at a…
Surprising as it may seem, a tiny house can be built to a higher standard than conventional houses on foundations. These are some of the “tiny” lessons I learned in designing and building our first Tiny House: 1. Size matters – For portable tiny houses, regulations for height and width are…
In today’s society people tend to have an abundance of clothing and they need a place to put all of these items. Properly organized closet space with storage solutions can turn a closet that looks like a tornado went through it into a masterfully organized showroom. Many master bedroom…
Just like there is no such thing as a stupid question, there is no such thing as too much information that you can provide your designer. That said, there are definitely varying levels of importance for the information you provide in relation to your custom home plans. For example, saying that you…
We are building a cottage in PEI and were looking for a cottage plan that would encompass all of our requirements. We found the right floor plan and the right look, but we needed some changes. We contacted Robinson and worked with them electronically and voila! We ended up with exactly what we wanted and, at an excellent price. We have worked with a number of designers and architects in the past and the cottage plans that Robinson produced are by far the most detailed and the most comprehensive. Our builder joked that he didn't have much to do other than follow the blueprints. He had never seen such magnificent work either. Thanks Robinson. We will send pictures when we are finished to add to your online photo gallery.
Anna